Gotta Dig Some More
by Jynxxi13
Summary: Jamie had it all. Money, big house, her own car. So how did she wind up arrested and in a place like Camp Green Lake? She's not the only girl to ever go, but she's the first one in months. Now, there's a familiar face amongst the dust and he's dying to know what his girl has been up to and just what it was that sent her here. Can he dig up her secrets? Rated M For safety SquidxOC
1. Familiar Faces

**A/N: WOO! Hellooo duckies! Time for another story! New verse! :D I am SO excited to get this one off the ground. Yes, yes. Girl at Camp Green Lake it's been done before, and I know that. So...I compensated for it ehehe. For the record, I have an ENORMOUS and disturbing crush on Squid/Alan. Mmf...he's divine. Anywayyy, our adventures take us into the life of pretty Jamie Prescott, I really hope you guys like this. I'll do my best to not make a jackass out of myself. Read and review please!**

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Camp Green Lake. That was the only other option that the judge gave to Jamie Prescott the day of her hearing. She certainly didn't want to go to the detention center for juvenile girls, no. She was far above spending time all day in some jail cell like a criminal. Was she innocent? Absolutely not, but she did what she had to and it wound up kicking her in the teeth in the end. So instead, she was given the option of Camp Green Lake. An all boys detention camp which she thought was strange. Why not just send her to another facility somewhere else? Jamie didn't understand the legal system, nor did she care to understand it. She'd been to plenty of camps before, how bad could this one be?

Jamie was the only daughter to Richard and Jenine Prescott, your stereotypical wealthy family with a big, beautiful home and ranch in the Texas country side. Her older brother, Michael, had been killed earlier in the year while on duty in Iraq and her younger brother after her, Adam, was just a pain in the ass. Always coming into her room and stealing her things, tattling on her to their parents when she did nothing wrong. But when it came down to it, Jamie couldn't complain. She had it all; a hot Mercedes Benz that she was given for her fifteenth birthday last year, a bottomless credit card, and she was one of the legendary steer handlers in Texas.

That's right, raising one steer every year since she was ten. Jamie had the knack for bringing up the perfect specimen of market steers and such a skill in fitting. It was rare when she left a jackpot show or county fair without the title of Grand Champion or Reserve Champion.

But what could Jamie have done that was so bad that she'd found herself in trouble with the law. A gorgeous sixteen year old with rich, beautiful black hair, and the greenest eyes the world had ever seen. She inherited her mildly tall stature from her father but her body was all her mother; curvy in all the right places and her face was practically carved by the hands of angels with graceful cheek bones, full, glossy lips, and thick butterfly eyelashes that made all the boys in her school nervous. On the outside, she was perfect. But inside…behind closed doors, she was in trouble.

It wasn't her fault, though. Arrested for assault, one would think she went looking for trouble.

So there she was, sitting by herself on the long bus ride to this Camp Green Lake to serve her eighteen month sentence. There wasn't much of a lake around; in fact there wasn't any lake at all. Just miles and miles of a dried up lake bed encircled in far away mountains. She clutched her handcuffed hands together on the back of the seat in front of her and rolled her eyes at the scene passing by her. All around, the road to this "camp" was surrounded by holes. Hundreds of holes. Is this what she was doing for the next year and a half. She was better off going to jail…

Boys, boys everywhere. Jamie arched her perfectly manicured, dark brow in piqued interest. She could get used to being surrounded by nothing but boys; they were her specialty after all. Wrapping the brainless creatures around her finger and making them her pets on short chains. Even her lips twisted up into a satisfied smirk. _And they're calling this my punishment…_

The bus lurched forward in a hard stop after rolling into what looked to be a desolate looking Western town. But judging by all the boys in the orange jumpsuits, Jamie gathered that she had arrived to camp. The security guard that was sitting a few seats ahead of her suddenly stood up and pulled her to her feet roughly by the chain on her handcuffs.

"Watch it, Bruno. I bruise easily."

"Hey. You better watch your mouth, little girl. They won't have any of that sass while you're here at camp," He said, looking down at her over his aviator glasses. Jamie rolled her hypnotic green eyes and sighed. Typical teenage girl. The guard went ahead and yanked her forward anyway until she nearly stumbled down the steps out the folded open doors. Already, the stares and whistles started. Jamie was suddenly regretting her wardrobe of choice; a pair of black denim shorts and a blue plaid shirt that she rolled up over her belly and tied the ends together, the top buttons undone. At least she had the decency to wear solid black Converse that were low risers. Even so, it'd been months since any of these boys had seen a girl, let alone one as gorgeous as Jamie.

"Alright, this way, girlie." The guard grunted. Jamie hated being called "girlie" and cursed under her breath. This heat was ridiculous and the place was filthy, dirt everywhere. Jamie cringed while she was led into a building that looked over one hundred years old where she was greeted by a gruff looking man who radiated the aura of an asshole. He would be tall except his shoulders were hunched a bit and his eyes seemed stuck in a permanent squint. He moved from the mini fridge after pulling out a cold soda and handed the drink around her to the rude guard.

"S'with the sunflower seeds?" He asked.

"I just give up smokin'. Have a seat, Missy," Muttered that ape looking man. With another roll of her eyes, Jamie dropped her black JanSport backpack onto the dusty ground and sat lazily in the old wooden chair in front of his desk. There was a little name tag that read "Mr. Sir" in faded black letters, Jamie just had to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Jamie Prescott. Sixteen years old and arrested for assault on your father. Well then, looks like we got ourselves a bit of a rebel, huh?" Jamie grunted. "My name is Mr. Sir, you are to call me by my name, is that understood?"

With her eyebrow still arched, Jamie couldn't stop the small snort she made at the sound of his name. Mr. Sir glared at Jamie like a snake trying to intimidate her. She only stared right back with a smile on her face. "You think that's funny, girl?"

"Mhm..no Mr. Sir."

"I can see you got a smart mouth on you already. Assaultin' yer daddy, you got some problems there with respect, don't ya?" Mr. Sir was treading into dangerous waters, he could tell by the sinister glare he was receiving. With a chuckle, he sat up and told her to follow him outside. It was with great reluctance that Jamie followed Mr. Sir back into the heat as he gave her a half-assed tour of the camp, telling her they had the only water for one hundred miles and that running away would solve nothing. Something about buzzards picking her clean and yellow spotted lizards. The next place they went was next to the "Library."

"Yo look guys, we got us another girl in camp. It's been what…two months since we had one? Woo she's fine." Jamie heard a voice behind her. It had a familiar Southern drawl but she ignored it, she was in Texas after all. Just about everyone had a twang in their speech.

After Mr. Sir had given her the ugly orange jumpsuits and her shovel, she attempted to persuade him to let her change somewhere else. She didn't want people to see her skin. She didn't just give away herself to complete strangers. Their argument was interrupted when another man, a skinny man, walked inside with sunscreen applied to his nose and wide brimmed hat on his head.

"This will be your counselor, Mr. Pendanski. Eh…you take it from here then," Mr. Sir muttered as he trudged away outside. Jamie made a face but wiped it off when Pendanski turned back around to speak with her, a strange smile on his face. It looked like he was trying too hard to be her friend.

"Like Mr. Sir said, I am your counselor, you'll be in D Tent. I want you to know, Jamie, that just because you made a bad choice that does not make you a bad person. Come on, I'll show you were you'll be sleeping."

_Ugh…he's going to try to appeal to my humanity…Let's just get this over with._ Jamie followed her counselor across the camp to a moderately sized tent where he held open the flaps to let her inside. It was dingy, it was dirty. A far cry from the five star accommodations she was used to. But inside, Jamie received the shock of her life when Pendanski began to introduce the D Tent boys.

"These will be your roommates. Here we have Theodore—"

"Yo man, my name is Armpit." Mr. Pendanski rolled his eyes at the large colored boy who lay sprawled on his bed and swiped the hat off his head.

"This is Ricky, Rex, Jose, and Alan. The rest of the boys should be back in from digging their holes soon, like Lewis. Now, don't be confused, they all have their little nicknames, but I choose to use the names that society will remember them by-"

"You talk a lot don't you?" Jamie interrupted, clearly annoyed with all the yapping Pendanski was doing. He said no more and left the girl to fend for herself. Alan he said?…No it couldn't be. Jamie threw her backpack onto the spare bed and looked around at the boys.

"Jamie?" Yep. Green eyes widened at the sound of her name in the familiar, delicious twang that made her heart melt and the butterflies in her stomach wreak havoc. She turned around slowly and stepped into the aisle of the tent as the boys cleared the way for one boy in particular. "I thought that was you steppin' off the bus."

"A-…Alan?"

"Girl you got a lot to learn. Dat's Squid. Over there, that Ricky fool? That's Zig-Zag, and here we got Magnet. Barfbag should be in soon. And me? I'm X-Ray."

Jamie paid absolutely no mind to the dark boy with thick glasses. He must have thought of himself as some leader of this little posse but she could care less. Her focus was instead on Alan…or Squid…whatever. Slowly, she stepped forward a pace or two and froze when he started coming towards her. The first familiar face she's seen and it had to be him. But he was such a sight for sore eyes that she couldn't stop her feet when they suddenly ran the short distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, stunning the boys in the tent.

"Jamie! What…what are ya doin' here?" His normally loud voice was in that of a whisper. He didn't want his friends to hear and make fun of him later.

Alan smelled like dirt and sweat and oddly she didn't mind it. After not seeing him for three months after he was arrested for stealing, she didn't care. A sense of relief came over her when she realized she wasn't going to be completely alone during her long sentence. He made a motion with his eyes and hands for the boys to get out so he could talk to her for just a minute. They all made the same disappointed face and left. When the tent was empty, he pulled her away to look at her.

"Jamie, did ya here me?"

"Yeah, yeah I heard you," Her brows furrowed in slight annoyance.

"Well?"

"Kicked the shit outta my dad, so what? I don't wanna talk about it. I'm here, alright? And you!" Jamie placed her hands on his chest and shoved him off her suddenly. "You stopped writing me!"

Squid dropped his arms in defeat and just stared at her, those green eyes of hers were angry. He only stopped writing because he was running out of things to say. Digging holes all day wasn't much to talk about. And the way they left things in the days before his arrest had him convinced that she hated him. But even so, he wanted to know exactly what she was doing here and why. She beat up her dad? That didn't sound like the Jamie he'd known since they were kids. Sure, she was a smartass, but she was never a violent girl.

"I'm sorry alright? I dunno what else to say. But, you _will_ tell me one way or another why yer here. So…can I have that hug back?" Dammit. He was doing it, those enormous brown eyes of his were glassy when he looked at her, like a kicked puppy. Since they were five, he always pulled "The Face" to get what he wanted. And it always worked.

"Come here, _Squid,"_ He laughed when she sarcastically used his nickname and came back into his arms to take another whack at that hug. Squid swallowed thickly as she tucked her nose under his chin, getting him a whiff of the vanilla scented shampoo she always used in her hair. This was going to be a long stay if he couldn't stifle and bury those stupid old feelings.

They pulled apart so she could change her clothes. These jumpsuits were ridiculous, she'd look like a clown wearing them because they were enormous on her.

"Got any scissors?" Squid smirked, he knew where this was going and handed her a pair that they kept hidden under a mattress. He watched her cut both of her suits in half, talking out a good portion of the middle. Next to go were the legs that she sliced into hot little shorts to show off those lovely stems of hers. And finally, the arms which came off at the shoulders.

"Much better and more acceptable," she said with a satisfied sigh.

"Better hope Mr. Sir don't have a problem with it. Not that I do of course," Jamie blushed when he winked at her.

"Shut up."

"Can we come in now?! It _is_ our tent, too!" Zig-Zag's voice.

"So. Looks like we're all gonna be great friends. Well boys, I'm Jamie. I'm here because I kicked my daddy's ass and that's all you're ever gonna get outta me. So! What's for dinner?"

* * *

That first night in the dinner hall was something else. Jamie had never seen a dirtier cafeteria, nor had she ever seen such a wide variety of beans. Not one of them looked appetizing enough to eat. But there were some hot dogs and slices of bread so she settled with that and went to her assigned table. When she got there, Squid forcibly pushed the one who called himself Magnet out of the way and made room for her to sit.

"Sit here, now, I don't want none of you guys tryin' any funny business with this girl," Squid warned, waving his fork at his tentmates. Those emerald eyes rolled as she picked a piece of her hot dog bun off and played with it. She jumped a bit when an arm reached in front of her and nearly grabbed her bread.

"Hey, you didn't dig today, so…you won't mind givin' your bread to somebo-"

"_Don't_ touch my food." Jamie threw her hand out and captured X-Ray's wrist in a snare-tight hold and jerked it away from her bread. Already, X-ray could tell she was going to be a fighter. The boys all became silent and stared at the girl like she had a third eye. "You get one warning."

"Ohh, someone feisty. Bet you got all the boys back home whipped, don't ya?" X-ray taunted. The grip on his wrist tightened before she threw it back at him and slammed her tray onto the table before getting up and leaving.

"Asshole..."

"Throws fits with a dirty mouth, too. Squid, better go train that girl before she gets into trouble."

Squid sighed with a roll of his eyes, watching Jamie storm out through the doors and head back to the tent. He massaged his temple with his fingers in mild frustration. Anyone who knew Jamie was aware of the temper she had never seemed to grow out of. "Dude, I told ya not to mess with her."

"Of all the crude, brainless, disrespectful-! Why I oughta march back in there and put my fist between his teeth. Touching my food, I'll break his hands so he can't even take a piss…" Jamie angrily muttered to herself as she rushed into her tent. She was startled and stopped her stomping when she ran right into another tentmate.

"Oh damn. I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone else was in here," She stammered, her hair in her face from the collision. She heard a deep laugh and hurried to toss her hair back. She'd run into a tall boy with sandy blonde hair and the clearest blue eyes she'd ever seen. "You must be…"

"Lewis. But, heh, everyone calls me Barfbag. So, we got another girl at Camp Green Lake, huh?" Jamie chuckled and tucked a lock of raven hair behind her ear with a nod. She reached out her right hand with a smile.

"It would seem that way. I'm Jamie."

Barfbag smiled at her which made her breath catch in her throat as he shook her offered hand. He had a remarkably charming smile that made her cheeks flush and her eyelashes flutter.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the guys will give you a nickname soon. So, what're ya in for?"

"Ohh nothin' special. I did kick my daddy's teeth in though. Apparently that's frowned upon in today's society."

The voices inside the tent made Squid freeze in his tracks. Someone was in there chatting up Jamie. _His _Jamie. Well…she wasn't exactly his, she hadn't been since he was arrested. Or at least he thought so. But by the sound of it, she was talking to Barfbag…and laughing. Laughing the way she used to when Squid would sweet talk her.

At his sides, Squid's hands clenched into tight fists as he walked into his tent with a blank face. If he went in without the face of a fight, maybe she wouldn't notice that strange pang of jealousy he possessed. The conversation inside came to an awkward halt when Barfbag noticed Squid come up behind Jamie, look at her, and brush past him and bump into his shoulder. That was new. Jamie knew that boy inside and out and could smell his jealousy from a mile away. Now things were getting interesting as she looked between Squid and Barfbag.

"So, _Lewis,"_ Jamie made a point to call the boy by his real name just to add a little fuel to the fire. "How long are you in for?"

_I know what she's doin' and it ain't gonna work. Nuh-uh…_ Squid thought to himself as he sprawled out on his cot. Barfbag shifted uneasily between the two and decided to answer her question before the silence became too uncomfortable.

"Twelve months. Broke into some guy's car and took his stereo. Got another eight months to go," Squid scoffed and laced his hands together behind his head as he stared up into the fabric ceiling of the tent. He played with his toothpick, flipping it over and over in his mouth. He fumed just a little more when Jamie sat down on her cot and tugged Barfbag down to sit beside her.

_Not gonna work, Jamie._

"So, you got a girlfriend back home?" Both Barfbag and Jamie turned their heads when Squid grunted and turned on his side to face away from them. Jamie smirked.

"Nah. Not right now. What about you? Girl as pretty as you has to have someone back home waiting for her," Now Squid was paying attention to every word she said. After the fight they had when he was arrested, they never made it clear as to the status of their relationship. Were they really over? She couldn't still be mad at him for stealing, or maybe she was mad that he stopped writing…

"Dunno, really. Things were left a little…unresolved," She was choosing her words carefully. "But, I won't be looking any day soon."

Silently, Squid sighed a breath of relief. At least she didn't say she was single. Jamie was a lot of things, but a heart-breaker was never one of them. He was thankful that she wasn't out to rip what was left of his heart out of his chest. She was right, things were unresolved. They never said it was over, nor did they say it was still on. But even so, he still didn't like how chummy Jamie was getting with Barfbag. Even if they did only turn out to be friends throughout her stay.

After Barfbag and Jamie talked a little longer, he excused himself to go get himself some dinner and eventually shower. Jamie lounged on her cot on her side and faced Squid who was two beds down from her.

"Quit pouting, will ya?"

Squid said nothing and bit his lip to keep from starting another fight. She'd just gotten there today, he didn't want to start out her miserable sentence with an argument. Instead, he got up and went over to her where he loomed overhead like some predator. Almost immediately, Jamie scurried to sit up and pulled her knees against her chest, her previous demeanor all but gone. Squid found it somewhat odd the way she reacted but got in her face anyway. She widened her glass green eyes when he stared her down.

"I don't care what happens between you and Barfbag, but you're _my_ girl."

There it was again, that voice he used to make her weak in the knees. But Jamie shook it off.

"You don't own me, Alan," She said, teasingly tucking some his hair behind the shell of his ear. When her fingers brushed against his skin, he shuddered. "No one does. Now go away. I'm tired…"

Girls were so confusing in the way they acted, Squid could never make heads or tails of Jamie sometimes. One minute she was an adorable dork and the next she was a seductive badass. Jamie really was a coin to be flipped. But his pondering was interrupted when the other boys of D Tent came strolling in. He left her cot and went back to his own, his eyes on X-Ray as he approached her.

"That was some stunt you pulled in there, girl. You better watch yourself."

"Oh, Baby, I'm so scared," Jamie feigned innocence. She winked and quirked her brow when X hesitated and gave her a dumb-founded look. She even went so far as to smooch her lips at him. He brushed her off like a fly and went to his own cot and collapsed lazily. Right next to her, was Zig-Zag. Now he was a character, with wild hair and even wilder eyes. She'd never seen such a crazy looking kid, but she oddly found herself liking it.

The rest of the night, the boys found themselves talking about their day and ignoring the spat between X-ray and Jamie. They even managed to ignore the strange tension between Squid and her, even though they were all dying to know what sort of relationship they had before either of them got sent to camp. Squid never once took his eyes off Jamie, he still couldn't believe that she was actually there. This good little rich girl sitting in a dusty, old tent with a bunch of delinquents. His brain couldn't wrap around it.

Jamie lucked out tonight, it wasn't sharing night in the Rec Room with Pendanski. The last thing she wanted to do was sit in a circle and talk about her problems to a room full of boys who couldn't possibly understand her. Plus, she didn't want Squid to know why she did what she did. She didn't want anyone to know. The only people who were in on the secret was Jamie and her father, and he was making sure that his story was the one everyone else believed. Obviously, they did. Otherwise she wouldn't be here. But Jamie had to give the old man some credit. Had he not pressed charges, she wouldn't be here with Squid.

It was funny how some things turned out. Things certainly weren't great in her favor but they weren't too bad either. She would rather be home working with her steer for the next upcoming jackpot show, but being near him again was satisfying enough. She'd just have to keep her steer for the bigger shows when she got out. Squid often wondered how she was doing in the time they'd been apart. He thought about writing her again, he stopped after the first two letters because he just couldn't find the words to say to keep her waiting for him. Being a teenager sucked, being a juvenile delinquent made it that much worse.

Eventually, Jamie managed to get over the thick, humid air and fall asleep. But her slumber was anything but restful. She missed her memory foam mattress and her air conditioning, but more than anything she just missed her room. Full of pictures of her and mother and brother, Michael. She missed Michael and wished that he'd never enlisted in the Marines, but no matter what she would have said, he wouldn't have changed his mind. More than anything, she missed running to his room at night and watching the late night horror movies with him and a bowl of popcorn. Thinking about home put her mind and heart in a state of agony.

Squid took notice when he heard the occasional whimper coming from her cot, making him rise in bed and glance over at her. He couldn't understand why her face was wet with tears. He didn't know anything that was going on because he never read the letters she kept sending, afraid he'd do something stupid to break out and see her. But of course, running was never an option when he was in the middle of the desert. Instead, he watched helplessly as she struggled to find a good dream. But that never came, and soon the morning wake up tune played over the loudspeakers.

Jamie sluggishly sat up and rubbed the tears from her cheeks and yawned. "Well shit…day one."

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**A/N: Huehuehue...I'm retarded. Can't help myself sometimes. So, hopefully, this story gets as much affection as my TMNT story. Ohh I hope I know enough about 'Holes' to make sure this doesn't suck. READ AND REVIEW to tell me what you think so far! I need to know, duckies. Anyway, Jynxxi loves you! Thanks for your support :D Let's see how this one goes eh?**


	2. One Hole At A Time

**A/N: 'Kay Duckies! Doing my best with this genre, but I'm not gonna lie, it's a little more difficult than what I'm accustomed to. But really, I hope you're enjoying it. I'm trying to be as unique as I possibly can without sounded like every other fanfiction of this sort. So, chapter two. Read and Review! Enjoy!**

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_Eventually, Jamie managed to get over the thick, humid air and fall asleep. But her slumber was anything but restful. She missed her memory foam mattress and her air conditioning, but more than anything she just missed her room. Full of pictures of her and mother and brother, Michael. She missed Michael and wished that he'd never enlisted in the Marines, but no matter what she would have said, he wouldn't have changed his mind. More than anything, she missed running to his room at night and watching the late night horror movies with him and a bowl of popcorn. Thinking about home put her mind and heart in a state of agony._

_Squid took notice when he heard the occasional whimper coming from her cot, making him rise in bed and glance over at her. He couldn't understand why her face was wet with tears. He didn't know anything that was going on because he never read the letters she kept sending, afraid he'd do something stupid to break out and see her. But of course, running was never an option when he was in the middle of the desert. Instead, he watched helplessly as she struggled to find a good dream. But that never came, and soon the morning wake up tune played over the loudspeakers._

_Jamie sluggishly sat up and rubbed the tears from her cheeks and yawned. "Well shit…day one."_

* * *

A good two hours into the day and Jamie was already wishing she was dead, with the sun looming over head and practically mocking her with its heat and digging in the dirt and looking for nothing was making her sour. It took her a while to get her stupid hole started. Five feet in diameter and five feet deep with a shovel as her measuring stick. At least this morning before the sun had made its cruel appearance, Squid had helped her in getting a shovel to avoid another spat with X-ray. That kid just rubbed her the wrong way, thinking he was better than her and everyone else. If anyone was better, it was Jamie. At least she thought so.

Take a bad boy, or in her case a bad girl, and make her dig holes in the hot sun all day it will make her a good girl. Or so Mr. Sir had said, calling it Camp Green Lake's philosophy. Yeah, right. Philosophy, he looked like he couldn't even spell the word. But Jamie held her tongue and went about her business after choking down that disgusting honey soaked tortilla and having her "canteen" filled with water. She didn't talk to anyone while she dug; she just kept her mouth shut and her nose down.

The girl surprised all the boys with how fast she seemed to dig. Working with livestock her entire life, digging just sort of came to Jamie like a second nature. She was nearly done by the time Pendanski rolled up with lunch and decided she'd take her time until the others were done so she wouldn't have to walk back by herself. Zig-Zag's hole was next to hers and he pulled her out with the help of his hand. For a crazy kid, he was pretty nice to her. Or maybe it was just his way of flirting, Jamie didn't know. Or particularly care.

"So, you got any blisters yet, girl?" Asked Armpit who was in the lunch line behind Jamie. She chuckled and waggled her fingers at the large boy with a smirk, her hands protected by fitted light tan leather gloves with her initials embroidered on the wrist.

"Leather gloves, honey. These hands are too pretty to blister up," Behind Armpit, Squid shifted his weight from foot to foot anxiously hearing her talk. She had such a way with talking to people that made them nervous, boys in particular. He just wanted to talk to her and figure out why she was there. Well, he knew why but he wanted a better explanation. They'd been best friends since they were two years old; he at least expected something more than what she was giving him.

Jamie dangled her legs over the edge of her hole as she sat with her lunch; an apple and some graham crackers. Those sandwiches looked less than appetizing. She flinched when she heard three thumps around her and looked up from the bite in her apple to see Squid, Zig-Zag, and Barfbag all staring at her and sitting around her hole. A shiver of irritation ran down her spine, or was that sweat? Damn, she couldn't tell.

"Damn, you dig fast. Makin' the rest of us look bad, Jamie," Squid muttered as he took a bite out of his sandwich. Jamie scoffed and crossed her legs and leaned back in the dirt on one hand.

"You forget all the livestock projects I did?" She said, giving him a look that only he understood. They were soon joined by Magnet and Armpit who plopped down on a dirt pile. Jamie finished her apple and threw her core somewhere behind and took off the hat she was given to pull her hair up into a ponytail off her neck. She may have torn up her jumpsuit for more air on her tummy, legs, and arms, but she was still baking.

"Ah yeah. You still doin' all that fancy stuff with the cows?" Now Squid was pushing her buttons. He knew when her eyebrow twitched as she finished with her hair and slid the locks throw the back of her hat and put it back on.

"They're steers, stupid. You know that. And yes, I would have had a grand champion this year with Jigsaw but, well…instead I'm here with you fine boys," Her attention directed itself to Barfbag with a smile which managed to get under Squid's hot skin.

"Yo what's a steer?" Armpit asked with a raised hand like he was in school. Magnet made that obnoxious laugh of his at his friend's innocence.

"Steers are castrated bulls used for market. People like me spend money to buy one after selecting a bull and cow with the best genes to mate. Once the calf is born and a old enough, it comes to me after it's castrated."

All at once, the boys covered their crotches nervously and looked everywhere else but to Jamie. That was the typical reaction she received and couldn't help but laugh.

"And what do you do after you get the uh…calf right?" Magnet asked.

"Mhmm. Put him on a special and selected diet of grains and special types of hay so I can monitor his weight gain. I walk him and clip his hide to maintain it. We go to shows all over the state and dress 'em up."

"What in like…dresses?"

"No, Magnet…it's called fitting. Put a steer in a grooming shoot and trim him up with your clippers and use fur products to make his fur stand up and shine. Maybe when we all get out you boys can come down to my ranch and I'll give you a demonstration on Jigsaw. He's my steer this year, a nice lookin' Maine Anjou calf. Called him Jigsaw because of the white fur on his face, making it look like that Jigsaw puppet." Squid looked sideways at Jamie. He wondered if her life was any different after she was arrested. The boys all sensed the thickness and tension in the air that both Squid and Jamie were making and looked at each other nervously.

"I'm gonna explode if ya'll don't tell us how you know each other…" Zig-Zag looked downright paranoid with wide eyes which startled Jamie just a little. Crazy kid. She noticed both Squid and Barfbag shift uncomfortably in their spots and kick at the sides of the hole.

"Known her since were kids. Ain't that right, Jamie?" He said, jumping down into her hole and looking up at her with a grin on his face while squinting in the sunlight. Jamie would play this game so she jumped down too and stood just in front of him. "Best friends."

"Yeah that's right, _Alan_." Her voice had a bit of a growl to it when she said his name, an angry growl. "Best friends for our whole lives and then when my guard is down, we date for a little while. But then! You had to go and rob one of the houses in my neighborhood. And you know the kicker? After I send letter after letter trying to get a word out of you, you just disappear. Isn't that funny guys?!"

Jamie shoved him hard in the chest making him stumble into the wall of her hole and jumped out. She was done for the day when she threw her crackers in his face and stormed back to camp. She didn't care if she got busted, she wanted away from Squid. She left him in the hole wide-eyed and slack jawed while his friends stared after her. She sure was pretty when she was angry. Their attention was broken when they heard X-ray laughing in the background in his hole.

"Haha, just let her go, man. It's obvious she hates you for whatever you did. Come on guys, let's get digging before Mom catches us doin' nothin'," he said, wiping his dusty glasses with a dirty finger. The boys all agreed and slowly went back to their holes, except for Squid. He still sat there in her hole and chewed his lip. He didn't want Jamie to get into trouble for not finishing her hole; she only had about a foot to go anyway. Squid thought it would be a good idea to go on and finish it for her before scuttling away to his own.

Jamie knew why he had to steal things. She knew that his mother was a miserable drunk and that his father had taken off without leaving any money to help. Jamie always told him that she never blamed him for doing the things he did to get something to eat or find a way to pay his bills. Then why was she acting the way she was now? Acting like he'd suddenly betrayed her, was it because he stopped writing? Squid couldn't be sure; he never read her letters after he decided to not respond anymore, he didn't know what was going on with her now. Because little did he know, Jamie was in trouble.

* * *

After putting her tokens into the receiver, the shower head shuddered before letting a downpour of cold water onto her back. The cold felt nice against her hot skin as it washed away the dust and grime. Jamie wasn't about to shower naked and settled for the bikini she'd brought with her, teenage boys couldn't be trusted. She stood there until her hair was soaked and her body was rinsed clean but decided to just ride out the cycle and not waste any drop of cold water.

"Stupid…stupid…Alan…" She muttered as the water ran down her face. She sighed heavily and leaned against the shower wall just waiting for something to happen. She'd left her hole unfinished and she was sure to catch hell for it later. At least under the spray of the water, no one could see her frustrated tears. Life sucked.

"You outta be more careful next time. Make sure you finish your hole, yeah?" Jamie shrieked and jumped out of the spray and wrapped her towel around herself to hide her neck and shoulders. It was Barfbag.

"Oh Jesus, don't do that!" Barfbag couldn't help but laugh and held his hands up in defense. She waited with a crooked brow until he was done laughing at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. My bad. Don't hurt me," He noticed how tightly she wrapped her towel around herself. She'd just gotten out of the shower but it was still too hot to cover up like that.

"Alright, I'll let you off this one time, Lewis," Jamie was more comfortable using names than silly nicknames. She'd use it when she was in the group, but one on one? It was stupid. "Can you…turn around? I'm changing in the stall but I'm still kinda shy."

"Oh! Yeah, yeah go on, girl."

"It's Jamie." He gulped.

"Right…sorry," Jamie's pretty green eyes rolled as he turned around. She was quick to peel off the bikini top and replace it with her clean undershirt and orange top. Next was her bottoms. "It's habit, not calling people by their names."

"It's fine, but I do have a name. Just remember that."

"Yeah, I'll try. All better?" He asked when she stepped out of the shower stall. Her towel was still around her neck which he found a little odd, but pushing this girl's buttons was a bad idea. She sat down and shoved her feet into her boots and loosely laced them up, the tops flopping over lazily. _Lewis_ helped her to her feet as she dusted off her backside and grabbed her things before walking back to the tent with her where she tossed her stuff into her milk crate.

"So you and Squid, huh?" He froze when she gave him a frigid look. "Right, sore subject."

"Just a little. Maybe one day we can talk about it, but not today, honey," Jamie kicked off her boots once again and lounged on her belly on her cot. She looked at the framed photo that she'd brought that sat on the small table at her cotside. The moment captured in time was the day Michael was leaving for Iraq for the first time. Jamie was on his back with her arms around his neck and her chin on his shoulder, they were both grinning and to his left was their mother with an even bigger smile on her face.

"So who's that? In the picture, I mean?" Jamie picked the frame up into her hands and ran her thumbs over the clear glass as she sat up and sat cross-legged. At her side, she pat the cot with her hand for Lewis to sit beside her.

"Well, that's my big brother, Michael and my mom, Jenine. This was taken before he left for Iraq the first time. I think I was thirteen when this was taken," She handed the photo over to him so he could get a better look.

"Your mom is real pretty. What's your brother like?" Lewis asked with a smile, he was making an effort to be her friend. She actually liked this kid out of the motley bunch. But when he finished, he noticed a slight change in her smile.

"Michael died about three months ago on his second tour in Iraq. His convoy was ambushed and he was caught in the crossfire."

Lewis gulped nervously; he unknowingly stepped onto another sore topic. But she wasn't biting his head off which meant she wasn't uncomfortable talking about this. He handed the memory back to her where she put it back onto the table and stood up and stretched.

"Don't feel bad about asking. But, to answer your question, Michael was a big goofball and a geek. When he was home, we spent hours in his room playing video games or reading comic books," Out of her backpack, Jamie grabbed a tube of concealer make-up. "Hey can you look away for a minute again?"

"Oh yeah. So, comic books huh? That must have been pretty cool. I'm sorry for what happened to him though; I can't imagine what that feels like. Never lost anyone before," Lewis kept his back turned to her like she asked. He heard her sigh lightly and gulped once again.

"There's no feeling like it, honestly. I didn't come out of his room for a week and just laid in his bed wearing one of his shirts because it smelled like him. And then Squid got arrested," She muttered the last sentence so low that he almost didn't hear her. "Anyway, you can turn around again."

"Sweet. So, about that hole."

* * *

Jamie didn't go to dinner that night. The spot next to Squid was empty and he ate in silence. He'd messed up again somehow and she wouldn't even look at him when he came back from digging his hole earlier that afternoon. It irked him to the core to see that she'd been talking to Barfbag again, probably confiding in him the things that he should be hearing. Squid couldn't understand where this jealousy was coming from, it wasn't like she was throwing herself onto Barfbag and laughing in his face while she did it.

None of the boys told Jamie that Squid had finished her hole for her, they'd let him do that on his own. He didn't know how to handle this sort of angst and pressure. Especially when he was convinced that he'd done nothing wrong. But tonight was not the night to push it out of her; he'd leave her alone tonight unless she came to him. So when it was after Lights Out and all the other boys in their tent had gone to sleep, Squid couldn't help but notice that Jamie wasn't in her cot and instead was sitting outside on the steps.

"Ya know, it's kinda dangerous to sit out here by yerself. With them lizards and all. Wouldn't wanna get bit," The sound of his voice didn't startle her and she instead moved over for him to sit beside her. At least she wasn't arguing with him for sneaking up on her. In fact, he found himself rather surprised when her tiny hand sought out his and laced their fingers together. "The heck you doin'?"

Jamie sighed. "I'm trying, Alan. Just gimme a break will ya. After all that's happened I suddenly see you here and everything is supposed to be okay?"

"I guess yer right. But that didn't stop ya from talkin' to Barfbag did it?"

Jamie's eyes closed as she let go of his hand to run both of hers back through her hair. She was frustrated and fighting with herself to find the right thing to say. After a minute of silence, Squid reached out and grabbed her hand again. His hands were rough with calluses and hot with moist body heat. Against the smoothness of her palm, the roughness felt rather nice. Especially when he ran his scarred thumb across her perfect knuckles.

"Do you always have to put your foot in your mouth?"

"Jamie, this ain't exactly easy for me, either. Especially when you won't even tell me what's wrong with ya," He took the intense gaze he'd had on the security light that was surrounded by moths and mosquitoes and set it on her profile.

"I told you what happened in my letters. You telling me you didn't read any of them?"

Alan froze. Now she knew. She dropped his hand and clasped hers together with a sarcastic scoff. Now it made sense.

"Figures. If you'd read them you'd know why I'm here. You'd know what happened."

"Why won't you just tell me, then? In person, ain't that better than readin' it in a letter?" Oh no. He was trying to turn this around in his favor and make it seem like it was a better thing for him to hear it than to read it. Jamie wasn't buying it.

"No. Because I don't want someone in that tent hearing. It's none of their business what happened to me, but I always thought that as a boyfriend you would care. But, heh, looks like I was wrong," Jamie quickly stood and dusted herself off. She stopped just before she entered the tent. "Goodnight, _Squid."_

There it was again, that voice she used when she was trying to cover up the hurt. When she was mad, her Texan accent seemed to get thicker. Squid grunted and kicked the dirt beneath his feet. He kept messing up and couldn't stop himself it seemed. Scratching the back of his head, Squid stood up and went back into the tent to try and sleep. Jamie was already down with her eyes closed, faking sleep so she wouldn't have to look at him most likely. God, this sucked. First, being arrested and then being sent to camp. Then suddenly seeing Jamie with the attitude of an irritated pitbull. And now, the silent treatment for being an idiot. Some boyfriend he turned out to be.

_Whatever, dude. She'll forgive me, she has to._

* * *

"Alright, girlscouts. Let's get goin'!" Barked Mr. Sir the next afternoon. Jamie was digging like a little mole, leaving the boys in the dust. Hypothetically, of course. She still wasn't talking to Squid today but she was more than happy to talk to Barfbag or Zig-Zag. Their holes were on either side of her today and she didn't have to look far for some decent conversation. She talked more about working with Jigsaw back home and her steers from previous years, they seemed to like listening to her talk. After hearing nothing but boys talk for months, hearing a girl's voice talk about anything in particular was a breath of fresh air.

"Hey chica, when we get outta here, can I come to your ranch? Cuz I love animals, ese."

Jamie giggled. "Yes, Magnet. We got all kinds of animals for you to work with. Horses, cattle, llamas, pigs, goats. Just don't bug Jigsaw, he don't like very many people. He almost trampled my mama once about five months ago."

"How big is he? Like does he weigh a ton?" Magnet threw another shovel full of dirt over shoulder as he asked.

"Before I got arrested I had him weighed and he came out to about 1125 lbs which is pretty good for his age at this point," Jamie grunted lightly as she threw the last bit of dirt out of her hole and scrambled to crawl out. She wasn't about to spit in the hole like the boys did, that was far too gross for her. "Alright boys, looks like I'm done for the day."

Collectively, they all groaned. She laughed and leaned forward on her shovel looking at them all. She'd only been here for almost three days but she was making steady friends with all of them, still working on X-ray though. They all looked genuinely disappointed that she was done before the lunch truck had even pulled up. She sighed with a dramatic roll of her eyes and sat on the dirt between Zig-Zag and Barfbag's hole. Squid, Armpit, and Magnet were spread out in front of her.

"Alright, how about this, I'll stay until you guys are done. Then we can all go back to camp together."

"Nah, Mija you go on back and take yourself a nice shower, huh? We'll be fine," Magnet suggestively waggled his thick eyebrows which earned him a load of dirt tossed into his hole from Squid. "Hey! I was just kidding, man!"

"No funny business." Squid muttered with an obvious pout. So with a scoot, she dangled her legs over the edge of his hole and braced the edge with her palms. "What?"

"Will you stop actin' like a baby?" There was a specific little glimmer in those green eyes that Squid was familiar with. He knew what it meant, that he was forgiven for saying stupid shit last night. He'd read those letters now, it seemed that the energy between them was all cool and settled.

"I ain't actin' like no baby. We cool?" Barfbag somewhat froze in his hole with a shovel half full of dirt as he listened. He lazily tossed it over his shoulder when he heard Jamie giggle. He couldn't see her, but he could sense the way she was smiling at Squid. He couldn't compete with him it seemed, not when those two had over ten years of history together.

Jamie reached forward and flicked the brim of his hat upward. "Yeah, we're cool."

Squid had a good feeling that maybe Jamie was easing up on her recent sarcastic and annoyed attitude, at least towards him. He didn't care if she kept mouthing off to X-ray, the boy needed to be knocked down a few notches anyway. Having it done by a girl made the situation that much better and more satisfying. But now, Jamie was beginning to act like herself in the way she used to treat him; teasingly but still with a fair amount of affection in her eyes. Those gorgeous green eyes.

Little did Jamie realize the conflict she'd started in Barfbag, though. He wasn't sure if it was the beginning of a crush or just his head playing games with him. But she had told him more than she had the other boys in D Tent. She told him about her stupid little brother and more about her older brother. She even told him about her mother, which he was sure that Squid was still in the dark about. Jamie skirted around the subject of her father still, which he understood. She'd come to him about it in good time if she wanted to.

But damn…maybe if she wasn't so pretty and charismatic, Barfbag wouldn't have such a problem. His stomach wouldn't churn and burn with weird tinges of jealousy when he saw her talking to Squid. Over the next three days, he had to watch as they rekindled their busted friendship; holding hands when the counselors weren't looking, sharing food and canteens when they ran out, and especially those late night talks outside the tent. Those were what irked him the most.

Even so, Jamie still talked to him. Jamie talked to him a lot when he'd come in from digging his hole when they had the chance alone. He almost hated how funny she was and how interesting her conversations were; he hated how easy it was to just be around her. But…he just couldn't compete with Squid. Especially now that he was staying up late after Jamie went to sleep to read her letters with the assistance of a small flashlight. Great…now Squid really did have a leg up on Jamie's situation. Now that he knew what was going on with her. He knew it when one afternoon during lunch when Squid knelt down behind Jamie who was sitting at her hole munching on some crackers.

Barfbag watched in disdain when Squid brought his arms around Jamie's shoulders and whispered something to her that made her smile. Squid was apologizing and he wished he could hear what he was saying.

"Damn, Jamie…I just finished yer letters…I'm sorry."

Jamie sighed and looked down for a few moments into her hole. The tightening grip his arms had around her shoulders brought a little gasp between her lips and for her to turn her head to the side and…_Dammit, that's it then…_Barfbag watched in defeat as Jamie pressed a kiss to the side of Squid's neck. He took an angry bite out of his sandwich and started digging faster so he wouldn't have to sit there and watch this happen.

"It's fine. So does it all make sense now?" Squid plopped down beside her and stole one of her crackers and took a small bite. He nodded while he chewed, giving her a crooked smile.

"Yeah. No wonder you didn't wanna talk about it. I can't believe he actually did that. Now I feel like an asshole fer not bein' there when it happened. Jamie?" Her attention was brought up from the dirt by his fingers under her chin.

"What?"

"Ya aren't gonna…y'know…go back when ya get released are ya?" Jamie twisted her glossy lips into a bit of a frown as she thought about it.

"I dunno. I mean, I don't exactly have anywhere else to live. So-"

"Jamie. He did it once and he'll do it again." She hated when he cut her off like that when she was talking. He remembered by the dirty glare he received and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Just do me a favor an' think about it, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll try. Come on, your hole isn't finished. Get diggin' boy."

"Woo yer sassy."

* * *

**A/N: So? Input, duckies, INPUT! I need all the help I can get. I've got a good idea about what's going to happen next. We'll just have to see how I can balance this out writing two stories at once. Haaa, what have I done to myself! Hehehehe, love you folks! Read and review!**


	3. New Kid and Sunsets

**A/N: Okay, guys? You really need to understand the difference between constructive criticism and just being rude. I KNOW Jamie looks like a Mary Sue, that's kind of the whole point. It's called character development, if you had spared the attitude I wouldn't be as insulted. Lucky for you guys I was able to put out another chapter. If you just WAIT, Jamie will even out. If you just give me the necessary time to get her dirty, she will be less perfect. If you want to leave me a review, do it nicely and not anonymously. But anyway, here. Enjoy I guess, it's mediocre.**

* * *

"_Ya aren't gonna…y'know…go back when ya get released are ya?" Jamie twisted her glossy lips into a bit of a frown as she thought about it._

"_I dunno. I mean, I don't exactly have anywhere else to live. So-"_

"_Jamie. He did it once and he'll do it again." She hated when he cut her off like that when she was talking. He remembered by the dirty glare he received and scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Just do me a favor an' think about it, yeah?"_

"_Yeah, yeah. I'll try. Come on, your hole isn't finished. Get diggin' boy." _

"_Woo yer sassy."_

* * *

"Come on lil' fishes, come get yer lake water! Get it? It's a joke?" Mr. Sir had possibly the smelliest jokes Jamie had ever heard. She just raised a brow and hesitantly handed the man her canteen so she could be on her way and finish her hole. She was moving a little slower today, the heat and humidity seemed heavier and it was slowing everyone down. It was just past lunch and she was just over halfway done, not her personal best. But everyone else was just as behind, so she shrugged the minor disappoint off.

It'd been just under three months since she had arrived at the oh-so-wonderful Camp Green Lake. She couldn't complain though, granted, the physical labor was lame and the food sucked but at least she wasn't at home with her father. She was getting some guns on her from all the digging and a pretty even tan, so, there you go. Silver lining. Jamie had essentially been accepted as one of the group in D Tent when X-ray had given up on trying to make her miserable and found the nickname that he thought was appropriate once she had let go of her "Miss Moneybags"routine; Sassy.

Jamie didn't particularly like it but she didn't exactly hate it either. A nickname in this place was more than just a name, it was more or less the right of passage of being accepted. It was better than Armpit and Barfbag at least. Or her personal favorite, Lump. That boy's sneer alone could curdle dairy and Jamie made sure to steer clear of the bodacious Lump. She recalled something Magnet said that she had to agree with, 'It's like he's got his own atmosphere, man.' Spot on.

"Yo, Sassy, you want my apple?" A dark red apple flew over the top of Jamie's hole and plunked her in the head before she had the chance to even look up. With a yelp, she rubbed her injured cranium and attempted to scramble out of her hole.

"OW X-ray! Jeez…yeah I want it but you could have like…handed it to me," She scowled over the top of her hole. X had to laugh because she'd given up on trying to be that little priss she was when she first got here, her face was blotched with dirt on her cheeks and even some on her nose. They prim and proper Jamie had let dirt get under her nails and even had a few calluses on her little hands. "The hell you laughin' at?!"

"Nothin'! We still down for some poker tonight in the Wreck Room?" X-ray dusted off his glasses some and leaned on the rim of his hole. He was so cheeky about his height that it made her mad, Jamie could just barely see over hers.

"Yeah, better bring them shower tokens. You in Magnet? Zig?"

Over the top of his hole, Jamie could see the crazy hair of Zig-Zag's pop up and his face stretched with a smile. She giggled when he nodded furiously, his hair bouncing all over the place in the process. Magnet agreed with a drawn out "Siiii, Mami!"

"Hey what about me?" Squid pouted. He was already done and sitting in the dirt with his legs sprawled out in front of him while he leaned back on his hands. His toothpick ever present between his teeth and his boots unlaced. Jamie waved her hand in playful dismissal and scoffed.

"Pfft. Like you could ever beat me. Oh look, guys! Got a bus comin' up the road!" Jamie jumped up and down to see outside her hole. There was the telltale trail of dust picking up behind the yellow school bus carrying one passenger, like always. The D Tent members all wondered which group this kid would belong to. Jamie soon lost interest as the boys kept looking on and focused on her hole. She had to finish so she could take a decent shower. With only four minutes of running water, she was always scrambling to at least shampoo her hair. Nine times out of ten the water would shut off and she'd have soap still all over and in her eyes.

After the last shovel full of dirt had been thrown out of Jamie's hole, she grabbed the outstretched hands of Barfbag and Squid and they yanked her out. They pulled her so hard she stumbled to her feet and nearly face-planted into the hard dirt. Squid laughed so hard he snorted which earned him a kick in the shin and a raspberry blown in his direction. Squid feigned insult by thrusting his hand over his heart and gaping his jaw, the kick did hurt though. Jamie huffed and grabbed her shovel and canteen.

"Lewis can I piggy-back? I pulled a muscle in the back of my leg," Jamie showed the shaggy blonde the small knot on the back of her thigh which made him wince in sympathy.

"Ouch, yeah hop on. IF…you teach me how to play poker tonight," Both boys walked on either side of a very dirty Jamie as she somewhat limped and thought. Barfbag was pretty horrible at poker, especially his poker face.

"Deal. Upsie daisie!" She climbed on top of Barfbag's back and he held onto her legs. Squid didn't feel too bad that Jamie had asked his friend instead of him. She was all too aware of his sore back after digging and didn't have the heart to make it worse. Plus, that pulled muscle looked less than awesome, so she wasn't just being mean for the sake of being mean.

The little ride didn't last too long when both Jamie and Barfbag were reprimanded by one of the counselors for her to get down. She obeyed just so she wouldn't get reported to the warden for being rotten. Again. She'd been sent to the warden's cabin once for taking extra shower tokens and slices of bread and swore she'd never go back there again. Squid offered to run off and get her an ice pack while she showered. Despite them being short, showers were Jamie's favorite part of the day and the one small window of time she really looked forward to. One would think she anxiously awaited sleep, but everyone at camp knew just how miserable sleep was out here in the desert.

So there they were, the three of them. Jamie…_Sassy, _Squid, and Barfbag in the Wreck Room sitting lazily on one of the torn up couches. She had used an ace bandage to hold the ice pack in place and kept her leg up on one of the broken down tables. In the pool table corner the rest of the D Tent boys huddled around the table and played a couple games. Except for Zig-Zag, he sat on the floor with his busted up television "watching" his shows, happy as a clam. Jamie still didn't understand what it was that he was seeing on that screen. They were all interrupted when Pendanski came inside with the new delinquent.

"Look, he's so small, Squid. What do you think he did?" Jamie whispered into Squid's ear. Between them, their hands were secretly held with laced together fingers. He just shrugged and looked at the new arrival curiously.

"Dunno, but it looks like he's gonna be with us. Hey, Mom! Who's the new kid?" Jamie slapped her hand against her forehead in embarrassment. God, he was so loud. Pendanski came further inside and the rest of the D Tent boys gathered round the couch. He was a short kid, didn't look older than fourteen years old. Dark skinned with springy, curly brown hair. His eyes are what unsettled Jamie the most, they had such a far away look in them like he was physically there, but mentally he was just somewhere else.

"Everyone, this is Hector Zeroni, and he's our new tent mate. I expect all of you to make him feel welcome, remember you were all new once, too." Pendanski had his hands on Hector's shoulders for what appeared to be reassurance. He went around introducing the members only to be quickly corrected by X-ray.

"Mom we told you, those names are whack. This is Barfbag, Sassy, Squid, I'm X-ray. Over here is Armpit, Magnet, and over there in front of the TV is Zig-Zag."

Pendanski rolled his eyes and held his hands up in exasperation. He just could not get X-ray to shake the nicknames. No matter how hard he tried, they were _all_ sticking to it, even Jamie. The boys ahd all grown quiet, staring at this new boy like he had something growing out of his forehead.

"Yo dawg, don't he say nothin'?" Armpit broke the weird silence. Jamie groaned and rolled her eyes, hiding her face in her hands once she let go of Squid.

"Eh well, Hector doesn't talk much. Or rather, he doesn't talk at all. He's just shy, so, be nice. Hector, Jamie will be your guide. Go to her with any questions. Alright everyone, meet back here at eight, it's Circle Night!" Pendanski spoke with overzealous enthusiasm to try and coax cheers out of his kids. But he only got groans and whining. Jamie especially, she wasn't in any mood to show anyone around. But the swelled muscle had relaxed from the cold pack and she was able to stand without much pain.

"Mom that ain't fair! Tonight was poker night! Not Circle Night!"

"Well I'm sorry, Jose, but as your counselor it is my duty to mold you fine boys and lady into productive members of society. You can have your poker night any other night. See you all later!" And he left as quickly as he had appeared. Jamie twisted her mouth into a frown but shrugged it off. Pendanski was such a turd with his goofy smile and can-do attitude.

"I'll see you in a bit, yeah?" She leaned over and muttered in Squid's ear. He cracked that sideways smirk and nodded, giving her arm a bit of a squeeze. Barfbag was still uncomfortable with how things had turned out. He had Jamie were the closest friends in the tent, but he still found himself wanting just a little more than that it seemed and she wasn't giving him the time of day outside of friendship. She wanted Squid. End of story. His skin crawled when she discretely tapped Squid's chin and began to leave with Hector at her side.

"C'mon kid, let's show you the pretty sights of Camp Green Lake," Squid hated to see her go but he loved to watch her leave. Surprisingly, none of the counselors had a problem with the little "adjustments" she'd made to her jumpsuit. Probably because they were all male. But the nice tan she had on her stems and the sway in her hips had him leaning over until he nearly fell forward when she disappeared out of sight.

"Hey, Squid do you mind? Put your tongue back in your mouth. You're droolin' on my boots," Barfbag muttered, leaning his cheek onto his hand, his arm resting on the couch. Squid cleared his throat and sat up with a nervous laugh. He quickly went over with the rest of the boys to the pool table after they gave him a good ribbing about Jamie.

* * *

The last few Circle Nights, Jamie hardly shared about why she was sent to Camp Green Lake. The only one who actually knew was Squid and as much as he tried to fool himself that it didn't bother him, Barfbag hated that Jamie wouldn't open up to him about it. They were friends. Best friends, actually. They did everything together when she wasn't spending time with Squid. Their favorite thing to do was play pool and make fun of each other's skills. He lied to himself saying that being friends was good enough, but when nighttime came and Squid was out on the porch talking with Jamie he couldn't help but be hot in the face. Even so, he kept it to himself and went on like nothing was wrong and Jamie was none the wiser. _Keep it to yourself…no matter how much it stings.__ She might change her mind...but then...I'd be a fallback._

"So, Hector, huh? That's a cool name, but give it a few weeks and you'll have a nickname, too," Jamie attempted to strike up a conversation with the mysteriously quiet Hector. "So, where we were just now was the Wreck Room, we all go in there after we're done for the day. Dinner is in the mess hall over yonder. Over there is the showers, but they don't last long. Come on, I'll show you the tent and where you'll sleep."

Hector just nodded and followed along, he kinda liked Jamie's Texan accent as it oddly put him more at ease than the yapping of Mr. Pendanski. Jamie looked down at the short boy and chewed her lip. He looked like he had seen some things in his life that took his voice from him, or, he just really didn't have that much to say. Jamie tried to not let it bother her, she hated being the only one talking in the conversation if you could call it that. She was getting a little frustrated with the way he dragged his feet while following her, his eyes kept to the ground. An irritated tingle rushed down her spine as she kept a lid on it so she wouldn't insult the boy.

"This is D Tent. This'll be your cot, right next to the door so you'll have a nice breeze at night. We got a stack of crates at the end of the aisle for your stuff and one crate by your bed," Jamie paused a moment when Hector looked around the tent, bewildered. He just looked so lost. Her hands rested on the curve of her hips as she observed him walking around like a little zombie before he tossed what few belongings he had into the milk crate by his cot. After he sank down onto the creaking mattress, he just stared straight ahead before laying on his back and then staring at the ceiling instead.

"So…what're ya in for? Better me ask than the guys, they're a nosey bunch. Though I'm sure you think I'm pretty nosey for asking, huh?" Hector's blank, brown eyes darted to Jamie and rested on her for a minute. He was vaguely curious as to why she was the only girl he'd seen but didn't much care to ask. Her brow arched when he didn't answer and directed his attention back to the suddenly fascinating ceiling.

"Alright then…I'll just let you chill out until Circle Time later, then I'll come get you. And Hector?" He looked at her again. "You don't have to be afraid to talk to me. I'm not as horrible as the rest of the guys. Just watch out for X-ray, okay?"

Jamie felt a little accomplishment when Hector actually muttered a quiet "Thanks". She imagined that was the best she was going to get out of him for tonight, or even for at all. Who knew what this kid had been through to get to this place. He was so young, granted, they were all young. But this one looked just too innocent to be here and it pulled at an odd place in Jamie's heart to know it. So she left him by himself to gather his thoughts and trotted back to the Wreck Room.

It was already getting a little dark and the sun had started to descend behind the far away mountains, painting the sky a wide array of colors; orange, yellow, purple, pink, red. Jamie took a moment to just admire the rare beauty in the desolate desert. She hadn't actually taken the time to watch the sun go down before at camp. She was always with her boys goofing around after coming in for the day. It was nice, just taking a moment to let the warm breeze wrap around her and watch.

Jamie thought of Michael in that time. She thought of her mother, too. She wished she had the nerve to think about her younger brother, Adam, but he always made her life hell back home. Jamie couldn't be bothered. But instead, focused on trying to remember Michael's face; handsome and slightly round in its shape. They shared the same green eyes and black hair but Michael had a slightly darker complexion, his nose was long and defined and he had the girliest eyelashes. Jamie always picked on him for it. Even trying to remember his voice was becoming more and more difficult with each day.

Often times, after Squid went to sleep, Jamie lay awake wondering if she'd be at camp if Michael had made it home. He was always her shoulder angel and kept her on the right path when she was growing up. When they received the Dear John letter, Jamie felt her train derail and crash. That was it. She remembered that day as if it were yesterday.

* * *

_DING-DONG-DING_

"_Jamie! Can you see who's at the door, honey?!" Called up Mrs. Prescott from the kitchen where she was preparing dinner for the night. Herb roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, home made dinner rolls, and some cherry pie for dessert. Jamie's favorite home cooked meal. _

"_Yeah Mama!" The doorbell rang again and Jamie hurried down the curved stairs and nearly tripped over the last step as it rang once more. "Hold your horses already I'm coming!"_

_Jamie yanked open the thick door and froze when she saw a man in uniform, a Marines uniform, standing on her doorstep with an envelope in his hand. She blinked a few times trying to see if her mind was playing tricks on her, if this man was really there. After a few times of closing and reopening her eyes, Jamie was convinced that this wasn't some dream. _

"_Is this the Prescott Residence?" He asked, his voice was pronounced but soft at the same time. Jamie could hear her mother's shoes clicking on the tile floor and moved aside for her mother to take over. She suddenly couldn't speak and hoped her mother would be able to do better than her._

"_Who is it honey?" Mrs. Prescott came up behind her daughter, wiping her hands on a dishtowel before tossing it over her shoulder. Her reaction to the man on their doorstep mirrored Jamie's and her hands began to shake. "Can I help you?"_

"_Yes. I am from the United States Marine Corps to deliver this to you. It is with our deepest condolences that I hand you this letter, Ma'am."_

_Already, they knew what this was. Mrs. Prescott's trembling voice frightened Jamie to her core. This wasn't happening. The man handed her mother the envelope addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Prescott. There was something inside and Jamie feared she knew what it was. The man turned on his heel once the envelope was securely in her mother's hands and left down the walkway to his vehicle. _

_The letter trembled in Mrs. Prescott's hands as she worked up the courage to open it. Jamie closed the door and rested her hand on the small of her mother's back to let her know she was there. Slowly, she opened the flap and pulled out the folded piece of paper which tugged out a pair of dog tags and dropped them onto the floor. Jamie knew then, and even more so when her mother began to read._

"_To the parents of Michael Prescott, it is with our deepest condolences that we inform that your son was killed in action…" She didn't bother reading anymore and dropped to her knees beside Jamie who did the same. As Jamie picked up her brother's dog tags, her mother let out a wail that was a borderline scream. Both mother and daughter clung to each other as the gravity of the situation came down on them full force. They cried hard, they hadn't noticed her father stomp into the foyer and snatch the letter out of his wife's grasp. He, too, read the letter and stumbled backwards until the steps of the stairs took his feet from under his and he collapsed onto his backside in shock._

"_Michael!"_

* * *

A pair of arms startled Jamie out of her memory as they came around her shoulders and lazily dropped to hold her hands. She didn't notice the steady stream of tears that had dared to fall from her eyes. Hastily, she wiped them away and reached inside her shirt and pulled out Michael's dog tags that she'd been wearing since that afternoon. She couldn't let anyone see her cry, not even Squid. Nothing was said yet, just silence as a chin rested on her shoulder and she sniffled her nose and looked the side.

"Thinkin' 'bout Michael again, huh?" Squid turned his head to the side and spit out his toothpick. Jamie found his toothpick habit a little disgusting but he wasn't stopping any day soon. Squid nudged the back of her leg with his knee when she didn't answer. "Hm? S'on yer mind?"

Jamie cleared her throat of the lump that had somehow risen. "Huh? Oh. Yeah. Just missing him a little. Remember when we used to climb onto the roof of the barn and watch the sunsets? You, me, and Michael. They were so pretty, looked just like this one."

Squid chuckled and nodded his head just a little, the strands of his hair tickling her cheek as he did so. "Yeah, I remember. Especially remember when your mama would come runnin' out screamin' at us to get down."

"You're gonna break your necks and I'm gonna have to drive your dumb butts to the hospital!" Jamie mocked her mother's voice and Squid bust up laughing. He let Jamie go and tugged her hand towards the Wreck Room.

"You sound just like her! Man those were good summers. When we get out, we need to go find a barn and do it again."

Jamie giggled and wiped yet another tear that had escaped. She loved her memories and yet she hated them. Memories were both beautiful and cruel things, always a constant reminder that things _used_ to be great. It made her chest ache knowing that Michael was never coming home again, she just wished that he was here so he could take her home to the ranch and they could ride horses until the fireflies came out.

"Hahah, hey you remember that one spring when we were ten and Michael was teaching us how to ride and my horse bucked so hard I flew into the hay pile?"

"Girl how could I forget? I laughed so hard I fell off my horse."

"Yeah, and you were _still _laughing at me!" They bantered back and forth until they reached the open doors of the Wreck Room. The D Tent boys and looked towards them and started waving them over to the pool table, even Zig-Zag had abandoned his nightly "programs" to join them. Jamie smiled, even if it was only temporary, this was her life now and these were practically her brothers. So while she did lose Michael, she had gained at least five more.

Barfbag looked up from the shot he was about to take and almost smiled but didn't when he noticed the sheen on Jamie's cheeks. He wondered where that could have come from and why. But then he noticed Jamie holding Squid's hand and snuffed out that hope of trying to make her feel better. He went back to taking his shot and got one of the balls in the hole that he was aiming for.

"Come on, we got an hour before Mom wants to meet up."

"Yeah, let's play some pool and I can teach you how the pro's do it," Squid boasted, popping the neckline of his white shirt. Jamie sarcastically laughed and playfully pushed him by the shoulder and jogged to the pool table.

"Sure, Squid. Sure. You keep tellin' yourself that and I'll collect your shower tokens and graham crackers for a week."

Back in the tent, Hector huffed and forced himself to not cry. The only bit of optimism he had about being in this place was that he wasn't sleeping on the streets and at least had the guarantee of a meal. Other than that, being stuck at Camp Green Lake surrounded by obnoxious boys was Hell on Earth. He didn't want to talk to anyone, look at anyone, make friends. He just wanted to dig his holes, do his time, and find his mother. That was what he was going to do once he was out. Hector just had to find her. She was the only person in the world who loved him.

_Hector, baby, I love you more than air._

"Then why didn't you come back…" He muttered to himself and rolled over. That was going to be the last thing he said in this tent…in this camp. Hector Zeroni was silent.

* * *

**A/N: Is that better? Read and review, kids. Just do it nicely. You don't have to scream at me that you hate Jamie, I've been making OC's for a little under 10 years now, character development is nothing new to me. So, relax will ya? I'm just going to remove the rude reviews.**


	4. I'm Sorry

**A/N: Alright, this chapter is a little angsty. Buuuuut , the story is categorized under Angst. Hahaha, deal with it duckies. Learning a little more about Jamie but not the whole story yet :) Maybe the next chapter or the one after I'll get into the rest of her cookies in her jar. Please read and review and BE NICE ABOUT IT!**

* * *

"_Come on, we got an hour before Mom wants to meet up."_

"_Yeah, let's play some pool and I can teach you how the pro's do it." Jamie sarcastically laughed and playfully pushed him by the shoulder and jogged to the pool table._

"_Sure, Squid. Sure. You keep tellin' yourself that and I'll collect your shower tokens and graham crackers for a week."_

* * *

The boys, including Jamie after she brought back Hector from the tent, all slumped lazily in rickety old chairs in a circle as they waited for Pendanski. They wanted their "Sharing Circle" to be over with already and it hadn't even started. Jamie was still reluctant to open up to anyone other than Squid or Barfbag, but they all hoped that maybe tonight she might change her mind. She felt the added pressure from the heavy gaze she was being given from Barfbag, his clear blue eyes looked at her like he could see through her. Both he and Squid sat on either side of Jamie as she absentmindedly twisted a lock of her hair around her finger.

Jamie couldn't help but notice how beneath the dull roar of the other boys, Hector remained stoic and silent. He looked nowhere else other than the dusty floorboards and kept his hands laced together in his lap. She was unable to silence her nagging curiosity as to what he could be thinking in that head of his, or if he was even thinking at all. Was there anything going on his mind? Or was it just empty space? Regardless of what was running through his mind, the stillness he possessed made her uncomfortable about herself for some reason she couldn't understand. Bright green eyes searched his face for any answers that it might have. She found nothing.

"Alright, everyone! Gather round, it's time for sharing and reflection." Jamie felt herself quiver at the sound of Pendanski's voice as he strut into the Wreck Room. He looked just as goofy as ever wearing a plaid short sleeved shirt and cargo shorts, enormous smile in place on his narrow face. Jamie sat up a little more in her chair and crossed her legs. Squid looked down at her thighs, they'd tanned rather nicely in her time there and he was practically twitching to put his hands on them. To keep his hands to himself, he folded his arms across his chest and cleared his throat. Jamie glanced sideways and grimaced as he flipped around that toothpick from dinner. One of these days he was going to choke on that thing and she was going to sit back and say _I told you so._

Pendanski sat down with his little clipboard and pen. Sometimes Jamie wondered what it was that he always wrote down during these sharing circles but always lost interest eventually. He scribbled a few things down onto his sheet and placed it in his lap and looked around at his group. "So! Would anyone like to tell me what it is that they've learned so far in their time here at camp? Hm? Any lessons that they think might apply to the real world?"

X-ray chuckled and raised his hand. "Yeah, watch where you throwin' your dirt."

Simultaneously, the group laughed at X-ray's little joke. Jamie shifted a little in her seat, trying to find a comfortable place against the hard backrest. Squid reached down and scooted her chair until it pressed right up against his. She took the hint with a wink and leaned against his shoulder. Pendanski had grown used to Jamie and Squid canoodling, he just always said to keep it out of Mr. Sir's line of vision. They both seemed to display less attitude when they were allowed some closeness. So it was no surprise when Squid's long arm came over and around Jamie's narrow shoulders.

"What about you, Jamie? What have you learned?" All at once, every set of eyes was on her. The feeling was almost unnerving with every boy looking at her, even Hector. Nervously, she fiddled with Michael's tags between her fingers as she darted her eyes from boy to boy as she tried to figure out what to say. "Come on Jamie, give me something. You never share what's going on with you."

"Because there's nothing to share. I'm just a girl who got sent to camp for something bad. We all know it; I just dig my hole and move on with my day. If there's anything to learn in this place, it's to just keep your nose down and in your own business."

Pendanski was actually rather impressed with that bit and wrote a few things down. The boys all agreed, it was a true fact at Camp Green Lake. Keep your business to yourself and you won't have any trouble. Dig your hole and keep your mouth shut. They shared a little more, Jamie lost track of time as it seemed to just drag on. The group learned very quickly that Hector had very little to say. Or actually, he had nothing to say. It was then and there that they had all decided he was Zero from that point on. Zero things to say, zero things going on in his head. Jamie felt a little bad for the kid.

After another agonizing hour, Jamie felt her eyes getting heavy as Pendanski just talked and talked. "Alright, kids. Next week we're having Visitors Day. The Warden has decided that to boost your morale you can invite one person to visit you. All of you will have the day off. So, let's start with you Rex, who will you be inviting?"

Jamie suddenly felt her stomach drop while X-ray grinned from ear to ear. "My mom."

"Yeah me too, my mom." Said Armpit. Zig-Zag nodded furiously.

"My mom," He muttered.

"Mi madre. Haha, I miss that crazy lady," Magnet did that stupid giggle that made Jamie's skin crawl. She noticed Squid bite his lip when Barfbag made the same answer as the rest of his tent mates, his mother. Zero said nothing, as usual. They didn't know if he even had parents. Jamie didn't know how to ease Squid's sudden discomfort.

"My mom, too I guess. Ya'll know my dad took off when I was a kid."

And once again, all eyes where on Jamie and she felt the weight of every gaze. She grew smaller inside with every second that passed. The ones to look upon her with a sense of concern were Squid and Barfbag, they both knew. They both knew exactly what was going on her head in this moment hearing everyone mention their mothers.

"What about you Jamie? Who will you bring?" Pendanski pressed. Jamie felt her heart beat in her ears as she tried to focus but instead stood up and started for the door. Squid's arm dropped in the empty space that she'd been in and stared after her.

"Jamie, wait. C'mon, don't be like that," Squid tried to coax her back the way he did in the past and brushed his fingers against the back of her hand before she walked out of reach. But Pendanski had unknowingly struck a nerve deep within Jamie that she tried so hard to bury deep within her. It seemed like the counselor had his own way of digging that didn't require a shovel.

"Yeah, Sassy! Come back here," X-ray said it almost like an order or a demand.

"I don't wanna share anymore…" She muttered under breath.

"Jamie, you walk out that door and I will mark a demerit on your record and you'll be digging two holes a day." Jamie froze with her foot on the threshold. "Now sit down and share. I won't be having any of your sass tonight."

"Yeah c'mon, Sassy, it can't be that bad, right?" Armpit tried to lighten her mood. Squid stood up before Barfbag had a chance and wrapped his arm around her shoulders once again as she looked to the ground. She was fighting back tears; he could see it in the way she was constantly swallowing to keep the lump down in her throat.

"Just get it over with, Jamie…" He said in a low voice into the shell of her ear. When she nodded, he went with her to sit back down.

"I'll ask my dad I guess," Her voice was mousey and quiet. The boys almost didn't hear her.

"Why not your mama, Sass? Does she live somewhere else?"

"No, Pit…" Jamie connected eyes with that little weasel Pendanski and took a deep breath. He looked almost pleased with himself that he was getting her to talk with a demerit threat. "Mama…my Mama can't come because she's dead. She overdosed on sleeping pills two weeks after we got the Dear John letter and buried Michael...and after Squid got arrested. Mama just couldn't take the pain anymore, I guess."

Silence. The silence was so loud that it was almost deafening. Jamie had been the one to find her mother sprawled out on her bed with the empty pill bottle in her hand. She remembered trying to slap her mother awake after she'd called 911 in a wild panic. The overwhelming loss of Michael just seemed to be more than Jenine could handle and she ended it before it consumed her completely.

Pendanski didn't stop her when she stood up once again and hurried out of the Wreck Room with her hand clamped over her mouth. He didn't even stop Squid from going after her, but he did notice the sudden look of pain on Barfbag's face as he watched Squid leave. It seemed there was a little bit of an issue between the three of them that they had to work out on their own. But Pendanski kept the circle going even without Jamie and Squid. He had a report to write and he'd catch hell from the Warden if he didn't submit it by tomorrow morning.

* * *

"Jamie! Jamie, wait!" Alan called after her as she ran towards the dried up lake bed. He wasn't sure what she was doing or where she was going or even why but he had to catch her before she stumbled upon a hole with Yellow Spotted Lizards swarming inside it. Jamie was always a fast runner, she was the faster of the two of them even when they were growing up and running through the cattle pasture. But he just had to catch her, he had to hold her. "Jamie!"

"What?!" Jamie cried out when he at last caught her by the arm before she fell into a hole, luckily it was empty. He whipped her around and she buried her face into his chest. She didn't want him to see her cry twice in the same day, that was just more embarrassment than she could stand to experience. So he stood there in silence and ran his hand through the waves of her velvet black hair until her whimpering and weeping eventually stopped. They stood there for what felt like hours when it was really only about twenty minutes. Jamie wasn't going to admit how thankful she was that he just stood there and held her.

"I know, I know it sucks. But Jamie ya can't run out in the desert at night like that. Shoot…" Vulnerability was something that Jamie would never admit to. But Alan knew that girl better than anyone and was more than aware of how ripped apart she really was. "Jamie, look at me."

"What, Alan? What? What could you possibly have to say that'll make it better? Mama's dead and Daddy blamed me for it! He blamed me, Alan. And he took it out on me; because I didn't get there fast enough…Mama's dead because of me…"

"Jamie, ya know damn well that ain't true. There wasn't nothin' you coulda done. If ya had stopped her that day she woulda tried it again another day. Hey," He gently pulled her off his chest and used his fingers to brush away the hair that had fallen in her face. His thumbs took away those tears and the sheen from her cheeks, they'd turned red in her fit. "It wasn't yer fault, Jamie."

Damn, those eyes of hers. Still crystal clear in their green color but red-rimmed from her outburst. Jamie was a creature drowning in the guilt that her father had forced into her head. Alan did the only thing he could think of to take the tension out of her shoulders and captured her chin between his calloused thumb and fingers and kissed her. Jamie panicked and pressed her hands against his chest to push him off her. "Alan!"

"What, Jamie?! I don't know what else to do. I'm tryin' my best here. What do ya expect me to do when yer lookin' at me like that and cryin'?" Alan had suddenly remembered how good it felt to kiss that girl and his lips quivered to do it again. Jamie took a few deep breaths and stared at him, his big puppy dog eyes pleading with her to at least lean on him. He felt her defenses come down as her hands hesitantly raised and laced together behind his neck as she exhaled slowly.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm not making this any easier. I know you're trying and I'm glad you are. You just…scared me," Jamie began rising on her toes, slowly which only made him smile. Despite being a bit of a redneck, Alan had a nice set of teeth when he smiled. She swore she felt the guilt and shame washing away from the shores of her mind as the waves of his stupid affection came crashing down on her.

"How? I've kissed ya hundreds of times b'fore. Ya never complained then," Now he was being smug as she came closer. Her fingertips grazed at the hair on the back of his neck affectionately as he tilted his head down at an angle. "Y'know, if the Warden catches us we're buzzard food."

Jamie giggled and took a step back when she was just a breath away from kissing him again. He never forgot that she was a ridiculous tease and followed her into the empty hole they were standing next to. They both landed with soft thumps in the loose dirt and exchanged sheepish glances.

"There, now we won't get caught," She mused when she became stuck between him and the wall of the hole. Once again her chin was captured and tilted upward just so he could get a look at those emerald pools.

"Jamie, if means anythin', I'm sorry that I wasn't there fer ya when it all happened. Michael, yer mom, and even yer dad. I don't feel like I been a real good boyfriend since I got arrested and-"

"Shh, you still talk too much," Jamie placed her finger against his moving lips to hush his babbling. "It's okay, I'm not mad anymore. I promise."

Alan chuckled lightly and leaned back down and gave that kiss another shot when her eyes closed. When her arms came up and around his neck, he knew then that he was really forgiven when she melted against him the way she used to. His hands found their comfortable place on her hips as he melded their lips together and tasted her. Jamie had that sweet flavor that she'd always possessed, like she had just finished some melon before the gesture.

He kissed her once, twice, three times; Alan kissed her again and again to make up for lost time. Being a juvenile delinquent and shoved into a "rehabilitation" camp really dries someone up under the sun like the dirt they were always digging into. But it seemed that kissing Jamie again was just the rain he needed in this dry place. So he didn't bother stopping her when she took a nip at his bottom lip and inhaled deeply to surround herself in his scent. She giggled quietly when his tongue grazed against hers, suddenly bringing her back to afternoons back home rolling in the piles of straw in the barn with him.

When they at last pulled their lips apart, Jamie didn't move and wrapped her arms around his torso and laid her cheek against his chest. Alan seemed to tower over her, he always did once he hit puberty at 12. Both were mildly breathless, he'd kissed the air right out of her in his attempt to make up for the three months they'd been apart after he was arrested.

"I missed you, Jamie," He muttered into her hair and kissed her head. She smiled and closed her eyes, tightening her embrace around him. For the first time since Michael died she felt needed and desired. Not the way her father made her feel, useless and like a problem or sometimes, a tool. "I know this ain't exactly the place to tell ya, but I did."

"I know, mm…I missed you too. Every day that you were gone."

* * *

Lewis ran his hands through his hair and gently pulled at the roots as he stood in the middle of camp. He'd been watching Jamie and Alan rekindle once again from afar and he knew that this time she really was out of his reach. He kissed her, and they disappeared into the hole where he probably kissed her again. He couldn't stand how hot and jealous he felt in his stomach, he just wanted to hit something and he wanted to hit it hard. To let someone else know just how bad he felt.

"Lewis? Lewis, we're not done in here!"

Outwardly, he groaned at the sound of Pendanski's voice. He was tired of hearing it. He was tired of the heat and the exhaustion of digging holes everyday. But more than anything, he was tired of losing Jamie to Alan while he didn't stand a chance. Lewis wanted out; he wanted to get away from it all. He just didn't know how yet. As he started back towards the Wreck Room he saw Alan lifting Jamie out of the hole they'd hidden away in and jog back to camp hand in hand. He stood and waited.

"Lewis! What are you doing outside? Are you okay?" Jamie asked, she sounded out of breath from running back, but he knew why she was really out of breath. He grimaced when Alan leaned in to her ear, said something he couldn't hear, and went back into the Wreck Room to rejoin the circle. He didn't like that smile she had as Squid walked away. Jamie didn't follow and stood outside with Lewis who crossed his arms and leaned against the decaying support beam made of wood. Her smile disappeared. "What?"

"Catching up with Squid, huh?" Jamie's cheeks suddenly flushed and her eyes darted away. He couldn't tell if it was shame or just embarrassment from being caught. "That's cool, looks like you two are back together again."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play me like I'm stupid, you practically have kiss burns on your lips. You were in that hole for thirty minutes, you know exactly what I'm talking about," He snapped and she chewed the corner of her lip, fidgeting with her narrow fingers. The expression of hurt on her face brought with it a sense of guilt in his chest and he sighed heavily, trying to rid himself of the heavy feeling. But he was aware of the anger in his blue eyes, Jamie almost looked fearful as they darkened. "Look, Jamie, I don't know if I was able to make it obvious enough without actually coming out and saying, but I like you. I like you a lot and pisses me off to see you being chased by Squid."

Jamie said nothing; she didn't know what there was to say. Sure, she'd suspected that he might have something for her but she never imagined it bothered him. They talked all the time and he opened up to her about everything while she tried to do the same. He was the first one to actually show her any kindness at camp and suddenly she felt like an absolute monster.

"Lewis…I'm sorry that the things I do bother you like they do. And when I got here, I liked you too. I did, you were so nice to me and easy to talk to I just-"

"_Liked? _You're saying you don't anymore, then. You want Squid."

"Yo Sassy! You comin' back in here?" X-ray called from inside. Nervously, Jamie looked inside through the window and held up one finger, asking for a moment. She noticed Alan glance at her and shift uncomfortably. He knew what was going on.

"I can't help the way I feel about him, Lewis, I can't. If I wanted to get over him I would."

"But you _don't want_ to get over him, Jamie. You two do almost nothing but fight every other day. I don't, Jamie. I _won't_ fight with you the way he does. You think I like it when you come to me whenever he upsets you?" Jamie scowled. She felt like she'd been kicked in the gut. Sure, she and Alan had their fights...well, they were bad fights. But she thought she was able to confide in Lewis.

"That's not fair, Lewis…I thought you were my friend."

"And I thought you were mine, but I'm just a tool to you, aren't I? Someone for you to run to whenever he pisses you off. Friends don't do that to each other," Lewis took a few breaths while he let that sink into her skin. She looked so flustered and bothered.

"I came to you, Lewis, because I trusted you. You know why I can't get over how I feel about Alan, I told you that in the very beginning," She started backing away as he approached her, getting right in her face as he continued. This was a completely new side to him that Jamie hadn't known existed.

"Because you two got so much history together, right I know. But, Jamie, what does he have that I don't?" Lewis grabbed her by the wrists and held them tight so she couldn't run from his question. Suddenly, Jamie began to panic and writhe her arms to break out of his hold.

"Lewis, let go..."

"Tell me, Jamie." His voice deepend.

"Let go…Let go! Let me go!" She started to shriek.

"No! Not until you tell me why I'm not good enough, Jamie," He tugged her close until their middles pressed together. A wild-eyed fear came to her pretty face and Lewis froze, his grip ever tightening. She kept on ranting for him to let her go and he silenced her by kissing her, hard. By then, she was in a full-blown panic. She turned her face away from his painfully, rough kiss and gasped.

"No! Stop it, Lewis! Please! Let me go!"

"Hey, man get off her!" Hearing the commotion from inside, Alan came out to see if she was alright. When he noticed Lewis holding her wrists and kissing her, Alan body slammed him against the wall to make him let go. "What the hell are ya doing?!"

"Why'd you go and do that, Lewis? Don't make me hate you, I don't want to hate you but you had to go and do that when you _know_ what's wrong with me!" Jamie sputtered as she backed up a few paces and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The noise had grabbed everyone's attention at that point, including Mr. Pendanski who yanked Alan off Lewis and separated them.

"Just what is going on out here?! Jamie, what happened?" For the third time that night, everyone in her tent had their eyes on her for an answer. She managed to harness her borderline panic attack and ran her hands through her hair to compose herself. From where they both stood, Alan and Lewis waited for her to say something to get either of them into trouble. Alan felt his heart sink when a strange, blank expression blanketed her face.

"Nothing…nothing happened. I freaked out for nothing."

* * *

Jamie and Squid didn't have their late night talk after lights out and Barfbag didn't say another word to her after they had been severely reprimanded by Pendanski for disrupting Sharing Time. He didn't write any of them up but he was keeping a close eye on all three of them from now on. The rest of the D Tent boys didn't have any qualms with falling asleep that night, but the three in question didn't sleep a wink.

After about a week, the whole ordeal had been pushed to the backs of everyone's minds. Barfbag kept his distance from Jamie as she stuck close to Squid, he wasn't about to let her out of his sight again. Their holes were right next to each other, Barfbag had chosen a spot away from them and most of the boys. He was more than embarrassed for the way he handled things with Jamie and wished he'd gone about it a different way. Now, he was absolutely sure she hated him; she didn't even look at him.

Barfbag's guilt multiplied when she had left the tent wearing wrist bands. He'd squeezed her so tight that he rubbed burns into her skin and left it raw. The glares he received from Squid were unsettling but they said nothing to each other. The hot sun beating down on top of his head certainly wasn't helping matters or his uneasy stomach. He didn't get the name Barfbag for nothing. If the opportunity "rose" so to speak, he'd happily take it and throw up just to feel better.

Jamie dug her hole in silence as the rest of the boys sang a rhythmic song they'd all come up with to keep themselves from going nuts in the sun while they dug. Even one of the patrolling counselors took part in singing with the delinquents, his gun swung up over his shoulder as he strut along to the invisible beat the shovels hitting the dirt created. Jamie couldn't lie to herself; she thoroughly enjoyed hearing Squid participate because his voice was so deep in its tone. Back home he'd always try and serenade her like an idiot by singing country songs that she liked.

_You got to go and dig those holes_

Another shovel full of dirt was thrown over his shoulder and Barfbag fell back against the wall of his hole and sank down until he was sitting. This heat was getting more intense with every minute that past and it was amplifying his guilt and shame; he was a boiling pot of emotions in this heat. What he'd done to Jamie seemed to completely shatter their friendship that he'd cherished, but he ruined it by convincing himself that it wasn't enough. Wanting to have more than what he had with her did nothing but drive her away. He had to escape it. And he knew just how to do it when he heard the familiar _kshshshshsh_ of a rattler's tail.

Barfbag made his decision.

It happened faster than Jamie could absorb. One minute she was digging her hole like a good girl and the next she heard the boys of her group yelling Barfbag's name and telling him to get back in his hole.

"Hey Barfbag what you doing, man?!"

"Barfbag get back!"

Curiosity is what brought her eyes over the edge of her hole and she nearly fell back when she witnessed Barfbag approaching a very angry rattlesnake with a bare foot. She knew exactly what he was doing and made a wild and desperate scramble to get out of her hole. In a split second, Jamie forgot about everything that happened and was dead-set on getting out of the damn hole to her best friend. She didn't want him or need him the way she did with Squid but she still cared deeply about him. Deep enough to make her want to take the bite for him.

"Lewis! Don't! Please, get back! I'M SORRY!" She cried as she clawed her way to the surface. But by the time she made it out, he'd already been bitten. Jamie sprinted as Barfbag yelled out in pain, the venom was already wreaking its deadly havoc. Jamie slid on her knees just as he hit the dirt and caught him before his head could smack into the ground. "Lewis! Someone get Mom! Hurry!"

X-ray and Zig-Zag were the first ones to leap out of their holes and run back to camp like their lives depended on it. Well, Barfbag's did. Squid clambered out of his nearly finished hole and knelt beside Jamie who was stroking the sides of Barfbag's face with trembling fingers as she fought to keep the fear out of her voice while she spoke to keep him calm. His head was in her lap and she was bent over to keep the sun out of his face.

"Gimme your canteen, he needs to cool off he's too hot," Squid did what he was told and handed her his nearly full canteen and she dumped the water on Barfbag's face and chest. Barfbag was grunting and grinding his teeth as the burning rose from his foot and made its way up his leg. The heat had opened his veins making it that much easier for the venom to work itself into his body. He was somewhat glad that Jamie was there with him, but reluctant to get too overjoyed.

"You're gonna be okay, Lewis, you're gonna be okay. Stay awake, Sweetie, stay awake," Jamie chanted. Squid gulped thickly and moved aside when he heard Pendanski coming in the water truck. She flinched when she heard the door open and slam shut.

"Oh my God, Alan, help me get him into the truck. Stay back Jamie," Ordered the counselor. The snake had fallen into a nearby hole after Barfbag and fallen backwards, but it could still strike her. Jamie nodded and gave Barfbag's hand a good squeeze before she kissed his dusty knuckles.

"I'm sorry, Lewis," She thought she saw him weakly smile as he was lifted and taken away from her and put into the truck. The water truck drove away with her best friend and left her there on the dry lake bed filled with nothing but worry, dread, and disgusting guilt. With horrible shakes in her legs, Jamie stood up and watched the dust cloud from the truck pull away into camp.

"Jamie?" Squid hesitantly touched her hand, the trembles hadn't stopped. He imagined she'd be shaken up for the rest of the day. Surprise came over him when her arms snaked around his waist and she suddenly hugged him and buried her face in his chest. Didn't seem like she cared that he was caked with dust and dirt and smelled like sweat. "Shh…it's gonna be okay. It was a rattler, he's gonna make it."

One of his long arms came down to hold her against him as his other reached up for his hand to rest on the top of her head. Jamie was now, officially, a mess. Or least, she always made a mess wherever she went it seemed. Having Squid there took the edge off the strange pain she was feeling as he held her tight until she stopped shaking. He was caught off guard when her hand shot up suddenly and grasped the back of his neck and pulled him down.

"Ja-" She cut him off by kissing him hard on the mouth. She didn't know why she did it so suddenly and out in the open, but she did it. Squid wasn't about to argue and let it happen, maybe she was afraid he'd do something similar to what Lewis had done and be taken away from her too. Her hand remained on his neck and his arm squeezed her against him. She'd never acted so needy and desperate for closeness before. Camp Green Lake seemed to bringing out all of these new things about her, hell about everyone.

"It's okay, 'm here," Squid muttered against her now kiss swollen lips after she'd pulled back some.

"Don't leave, okay?" He half-heartedly chuckled at the sound of her voice.

"Nah, I ain't goin' nowhere. Don't be stupid."

Jamie suddenly remembered that they were surrounded by inmates and possibly counselors and plucked herself from his arms to return to her hole. She caught the strange glance from Zero as he paused in his digging. He was a fast digger like herself, and after a week at camp, he was the fastest digger in the tent. But again, his stare was unnerving and at the same time comforting. He looked at her with a different glint in his eye.

Zero decided then that he was going to trust Jamie. Watching her run to Barfbag the way she had made him believe she was looking out for the benefit of her friends. He wasn't going to shut her out anymore, the other members were another story altogether.

"Sassy, are you okay?"

Jamie froze mid-scoop when she heard a strange, unfamiliar voice coming from the top of her hole. When she looked up and squinted in the rays of the sun, she saw Zero. He was talking to her. Zero was _talking. _Jamie decided not to make a scene, he was talking so quietly she guessed he didn't want the other boys to hear.

"Uhm…I don't know. I'll find out when I hear about Barfbag. Look about that, with Squid-"

"You don't gotta explain it to me, I hear you two at night. It's cool. Just wanted to see if you were okay." Jamie smiled and nodded slowly. Zero smiled too. He had bright teeth and his eyes glistened a little in his grin.

"Thanks, Zero. Let's be friends, yeah?"

"Yeah. Let's be friends."

* * *

**A/N: So that's my take on Barfbag's sudden snake bite decision. Kinda unorthodox yeah, but then again, so is a girl at Camp Green Lake. BUT! I wanted to :D I'm gonna get so much hate and heat for this. I know it.**


	5. Daddy, Please

**A/N: This chapter is mildy violent. But it's a glimpse into what Jamie was dealing with before being sent to camp. I didn't go to far into it because I'm saving the rest for later chapters. Rated M for a reason! :D Hahaha, I seriously hope I don't get too much heat for this because I was brainstorming this for a good week and a half. Well, anyway, enjoy. Read and Review, nicely.**

* * *

"_You don't gotta explain it to me, I hear you two at night. It's cool. Just wanted to see if you were okay." Jamie smiled and nodded slowly. Zero smiled too. He had bright teeth and his eyes glistened a little in his grin. _

"_Thanks, Zero. Let's be friends, yeah?"_

"_Yeah. Let's be friends."_

* * *

The day after Barfbag had been transported from Camp to the hospital in the city was Visitor's Day for all of the boys. Jamie included. The occupants of D Tent were still upset with the sudden absence of their friend but were more than excited to see the familiar faces of the family members they'd left at home. Plus, having the day off from digging seemed to have them buzzing with good attitudes. The only one who seemed to be dreading the day was Jamie. Most figured Squid would be joining her in her lack of excitement but truth be told, he still loved his mom despite her rather nasty habit of finding her happiness in the bottom of a liquor bottle. After all, he was the only one who knew how to take care of her. Hopefully, for his sake, she showed up. Sober.

Jamie couldn't find sleep no matter how hard she tried. She kept tossing and turning and glancing over to Barfbag's empty cot, and then she'd feel guilty all over again. So a restful slumber wasn't going to happen for her. The usually soothing buzz of the security light just outside of the tent was unsuccessful in drowning out her screaming thoughts. Barfbag challenged that snake not just because he was sick of the heat and missing home but because he was sick of sitting on the bench in Jamie's game while Squid was pegged permanently at bat. He figured if he left the game completely, there'd be nothing left to be sore about. She just wished he'd come to her with his displeasure at her expense. Maybe then she would have taken a step back from being so close, from leading him on.

At least that's what she told herself. Jamie had admitted to liking Barfbag, but to exactly what extent it wasn't clear. Obviously, it wasn't enough.

The unpleasant notion of knowing that Mr. Prescott was going to show up added another tight knot in her gut. Jamie didn't want to see him; she told everyone that she hated the man, Pendanski included. But with another threat of a demerit on her record, Jamie invited him. It seemed that Pendanski was going to make her face her own personal snake whether she liked it or not so he could write down that she was making progress. So that he could ultimately keep himself in good sights with the Warden. If one member of D Tent rebelled against him, the Warden made damn sure that he was aware of his pay cut.

So the morning came swiftly and Jamie and the boys dragged themselves out of bed. Some went to the showers, Jamie being one of them, and the rest went to breakfast that was being served in the Mess Hall. The chill of a morning shower was ridiculously refreshing and they wished they could have these privileges more often. It seemed to take away the nightly sweat they'd all worked up in their sleep. Jamie left her stall feeling clean and less irritated, but still apprehensive. Squid could tell she was on edge from the way she plopped down beside him without a tray at the table.

"Ain't ya gonna get nothin' to eat?" He said, shoveling a forkful of soupy scrambled eggs into his mouth. Jamie shuddered; they were so runny she couldn't understand how he could stomach them.

"Eventually. Armpit, you needa' go shower. Wanna smell nice and clean for your mom don't ya?" Jamie turned her attention onto her smelly companion. He froze with a piece of toast about to enter his mouth.

"Dude, you right, Sassy! I gotta go, my mama's comin'," Hurriedly, the largest boy pushed away from the table and rushed out to the shower stalls. All at once, the boys exhaled and gratefully took a deep breath.

"Yo, how'd you do that, Sass? I mean none of us can get that boy to shower."

"Easy, Magnet. Throw a boy's mama into the equation and the solution is a shower. Now, all of you honestly stink. So…" Jamie reached forward and snagged an apple from Magnet's tray, taking a bite for emphasis. Their eyes all met from across the table before they quickly joined Armpit to wash up. Victory. They were all starting to smell to high Heaven and she was desperate for some relief. The only one who stayed was Squid since he had showered at the same time as her.

"You alright?"

"Huh?" Jamie snapped out of her silent reverie. She looked down to see she'd been twisting the stem from the top of her apple.

"About today. Ya look nervous," Chuckling, Squid nudged her gently with his shoulder to try and coax a smile out of her. The corner of her lips twitched into half a smile as she shrugged just a bit with a light sigh. Under the table, Squid found her trembling hand and held it, she was shaking like a Parkinson's patient. "Jamie, relax. It's gonna be fine, you'll see. Ya got the rest of us around, nothin' is gonna happen."

"I know, I know. I just wanted my Aunt Gina or someone else to come but they're all in Arizona. God I don't wanna see him," Jamie huffed and ran her free hand through her hair after setting her apple down. Squid hated to see her _this_ torn up, watching her shake and lose the color from her face was more than upsetting. It was down right infuriating. But Jamie had her reasons for being afraid, just thinking of her father's brooding shoulders and bad attitude was enough to make her sick. She'd had her fill of his shadow darkening her doorway.

"It'll be fine, just stay by me and I promise nothin' will happen. Okay?"

Damn those big brown eyes of his. Looking all warm and trusting, Jamie hated when he used those gorgeous eyes to his advantage because he knew all too well that it turned her to putty on the inside. Made her absolutely needy.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't look at me like that. Making me squirm," She muttered, shifting in her seat and crossing her legs. Squid wore that signature smirk of his and gave her hand a light squeeze, both for reassurance and even as a little tease.

"Ah c'mon, don't tell me I'm getting' yer panties in a twist," His thick brows waggled up and down like a suggestive sleaze. "Again."

"Oh shut up and eat your breakfast," Jamie snorted as she picked her apple back up and took a juicy bite with a satisfying crunch. Squid stared at her for a few moments longer before returning to his "nourishment". The apple was all she was able to stomach it seemed, she was full after only a couple of bites. Her insides quivered and her throat remained dry despite the sips of water she stole from Squid's cup.

To anyone else, the silence would have been awkward. But for Jamie and Squid, it was the norm. After all they spent hours upon hours together when they were growing up doing nothing but sitting on one of the thick branches of the willow tree in the pasture, just watching the day go by in a silent euphoria. Growing up was easy when he was around, especially during Michael's first and second tours to Iraq. He filled her days and kept her busy and her mind off the peril that her brother could have been. Even before he was arrested, Squid was around for the beginning of Michael's third and final tour. It was only with regret that he remembered he couldn't be there for her when Michael came home in a box.

Jamie and Squid hung around with the boys until the late morning in the Wreck Room. It was there that Zig-Zag and Magnet had started to own everyone in game after game of pool. They were like a little team when Ziggy wasn't glued to the static filled television screen. Magnet had even managed to fix it once, but his partner didn't seem to enjoy his shows as much anymore and gave the box a swift kick to bring it back to its original grainy image. He was happy as a clam with it just the way it was. Jamie still couldn't figure him out, Squid called it Acute Paranoia but he acted more like a butthead a majority of the time. Putting Jamie into headlocks and messing up her hair, telling everyone about his nutball theories. He was a character.

Jamie had taken to Zig-Zag like she did with Barfbag in the week they weren't speaking. But she made sure to leave her feelings at the door this time. She sure as hell didn't want a repeat of what was known as the "Barfbag Thing". No, she and Zig-Zag made it abundantly clear that they were better off as mutual siblings than anything more. So, he picked on her relentlessly and bugged the living daylights out of her when she was digging her hole. But Jamie loved the kid, the way she loved Michael.

But no one can replace a girl's big brother.

* * *

"Alright, smiling faces! Smiling faces! Your visitors are here and are waiting just outside. I expect everyone to behave. Jose, no snatching. And Ricky…please comb your hair, son."

Pendanski had entered the tent and disrupted a game of Gin Rummy. All of his members groaned and put the cards away and made their way out to greet their parents. They only moaned about it because it was hotter than hell today. The tent remarkably offered solace from the sun. Pendanski had followed all of the boys out and hadn't noticed Jamie sitting on her cot with her elbows on her knees and her face hidden in her hands. She was doing her best to collect herself through deep breaths with her eyes closed.

Squid looked around and didn't spot his mother right away but he did notice her car parked in the large space between all the buildings. That brought him a strange sense of relief. But he didn't see Jamie anywhere outside and glanced all around to find her. No dice. When he realized she hadn't left the tent he gave up his search for his mother and went to get his Sassy. Jogging back to the tent through the boys and parents proved to be task. Especially with everyone buzzing in the same cluster, not bothering to spread out. He did smile at all of his friends who were catching up with their missed moms, glad to see genuine smiles on all of their faces.

"Jamie! Jamie?" He called once he reached the tent. Inside the flaps he glanced at her cot to see that she hadn't moved from her hunched over position. She was shaking again, he could see it from where he was standing. "Jamie, come on. Ya gotta go out there. I'll go with you."

Jamie glanced up when he knelt in front of her with that wide grin on his face. She had to admit, it was contagious and was defeated by her own shy smile. His fingers brushed the hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear then laid his palm against her jaw and neck. His touches always seemed to extinguish the fears and the tremors in her body and her shaking came to a still not more than a few seconds later. She drew in a long breath and exhaled slowly.

"Atta girl. C'mon, I saw yer dad's car. My mom is here too, let's go say hi."

"Alan, I'm-"

"I know. It's not like yer goin' home with him, so ya got nothin' to worry about. Just catch up and get through it. Yer not alone, okay?" Jamie nervously chewed her lip and darted her eyes from the floor to his boots and eventually back up to those eyes that suckered her in. Slowly, she nodded. "Alright."

They both stood up and Jamie made the first motion to leave when Squid held onto her hand and stopped her from going. She paused, glancing back at him with confusion all over her face and in those eyes. He looked at her with a crooked smile and she knew exactly what that meant and came back until he pressed her against him in an embrace to rid the rest of her nerves. Oh but if only it ended there, no he tilted her chin up much like he did that night in the hole out on the lake and came right against her lips without ever touching.

"For luck…" He muttered before closing the agonizing space. Jamie wasn't about to fight him, she never fought him whenever he kissed her. Especially when they were deep enough to make her knees weak and her breath to be kissed right out of her. He may have been a juvenile delinquent but the boy knew how to kiss. Nipped her lips at all the right times and grazed her tongue in just the right way. Damn he tasted good, Jamie hated how utterly weak he made her.

Squid forced himself to pull apart from her when he knew he was getting carried away. The almost silent moan she made told him they were both getting ahead of themselves in the wrong place. Her lips puckered and she grinned, giving his hand a tug towards the exit and stepped into the disgusting heat.

"Jamie Anabelle Prescott."

The reverie came to an abrupt end at the sound of her full name in the deep, demanding voice of her father, Richard Prescott. Squid felt her go rigid as she discretely dropped his hand and turned to face the direction of the voice and came under the line of sight of her father. He was dressed in black casual slacks, a powder blue polo shirt, and his pair of black dress shoes. Even with his hands in his pockets she could see the glinting of his Rolex watch and immediately sent a warning glance towards Magnet. She felt his gaze on Richard's wrist and made sure he stopped right in his tracks.

"Pumpkin! Oh it's so good to see you!" Richard crowed and walked towards his only daughter with his arms outstretched and a beaming smile on his face to show his perfect teeth. Jamie swallowed and stepped forward to let the man wrap his arms around her. The gesture was empty and meaningless, it was only for show. "I have missed you, my dumpling."

"Missed you too, Daddy…" Jamie mumbled and glanced behind her to see that Squid had met up with his mother. His arms were tightly around her and his eyes were squeezed shut. He told her how much he missed his mom, how bad he felt for not being home to take care of her. Judging by the look of the embrace, she missed her son just as much. Jamie only wished for something so sweet. "How've you been?"

"Wonderful, darling. It's so lonely at home without you, Adam asks about you all the time. Is there somewhere we can talk and catch up? It's so hot out here and noisy, don't you think?" Jamie flinched. She didn't want to be alone with Richard and anxiously looked for X-ray and Armpit, desperately trying to connect eyes with any of her boys for help. They were all huddled in one group and introducing parents to each other.

"U-uh…just a minute, Daddy! I want you to meet my friends! They're great," She feigned her sweet tone, the words left a bitter taste in her mouth as she led her visibly irritated father to the group and pointed to each boy. "Guys, this is Richard Prescott, my father. Daddy, this is…"

She paused, catching herself before she almost used their nicknames. He'd surely scoff and publicly humiliate them for the nicknames. She went on after gathering herself and pointed at X-ray first. "This is Rex, Ricky, Jose, Theodore, and you remember Alan don't you Daddy?"

Richard's mouth twisted into a frown. X-ray didn't like the looks of this guy, he looked too clean cut with a long, narrow face that was pointed with his nose, thin lips, and steel blue eyes. Even his slicked back salt and pepper hair made him uneasy. Squid did his best to not glare daggers into the man's head and instead focused on his cleft chin, clean shaved. But they all jumped a bit when he suddenly spoke.

"Ah yes, Alan! Jamie's little boyfriend from home, what a surprise it is to see you here, my boy. I figured you would have been sent to prison for sure," Richard used that chummy voice that made Jamie's skin crawl. Squid looked visibly uncomfortable and insulted as he wrapped his arm around his mother's shoulders. She was a small woman with bouncy brown hair and the same brown eyes as her son. He face was surprisingly round despite her nasty habit.

"Didn't have room for me. Good to see you again, Rick."

"Alan don't-" Jamie started.

"It's…_Richard_, son. And look! Your mother was sober enough to join us today, what a wonderful treat it is to see you here. You must be so proud of Alan here," Richard kept that annoying smile on his face as he outright disrespected Squid and his mother. Jamie could see the anger building up inside him from the clenching of his fists and the tightening of his mouth. His mother was his Achele's heel. But she silently pleaded with her eyes for him to just let it go. For her sake.

Squid's mother said nothing, she was too embarrassed at this point to acknowledge Richard even though she'd known him for a good twelve years. The boys all felt the bad energy starting to hover around Jamie and her father and politely excused themselves to give their moms a tour. Squid steered his mother away from the situation and grazed Jamie's hand with his fingers.

"Well, I'm just gonna show her around and catch up. Nice seein' you again, Rick."

"I told you my name-"

"Daddy! You said you wanted to talk, come on I'll show you around too!" Jamie tugged on her father's hand in the opposite direction to show him the "sights" of Camp Green Lake.

* * *

Jamie had successfully defused the terrifying situation between her tent mates and their parents by giving her father a long, detailed tour of the camp. She was doing her best to stay within eyesight of at least one or two of the boys in case trouble started but she was running out of things to keep Richard busy. He was growing visibly annoyed with his daughter deflecting his wishes for a private conversation.

"You know that this place used to be an actual lake one hundred years ago? It was a town too, called Green Lake. It apparently dried up and stopped raining after the murder of a colored man, hasn't rained since." Jamie recited random facts about the place to keep Richard busy. She could tell her was losing his nerve.

"I got a letter from Adam a few weeks ago telling me about the Thompson's down the street. What a scandal! Who knew that Mrs. Thompson would walk in on her husband with the Spanish tutor! I was absolutely stunned; you think you know someone, right Daddy?" Jamie was talking as much as she could so he would run out of time. Visitors didn't have much time left during their day with the kids and Jamie was trying to soak up as much as she could.

"Come with me to the car, Pumpkin. I brought you a present," Jamie blinked as her father stared a few moments with a fake smile on his face. His impatience got the best of him when he yanked her by the arm and dragged her to the black Lexus that had been covered in dust. She yelped and quickly stifled the sound; she remembered the consequence of making noise. But Squid heard and whipped his head around to try and find his Jamie. He kept his eyes on Richard as he suspiciously wove in and out of the cars and stopped at his to open the back seat.

"A p-present? For me? Oh Daddy you didn't have to," Her heart thundered in her ears when the car door opened. She prayed he wouldn't toss her in and take her home after making some deal with the Warden. Instead he pulled out a silver pair of Jimmy Choo slingback shoes.

"For you, Princess. These are yours if you come home with me today. Come home, Pumpkin, let's get you out of those awful orange clothes and back into the Versace that you love so much. I see you even tore up your jumpsuit, you obviously don't like it. Showing off that much leg, though, is asking for trouble when surrounded by boys."

Shit! Richard had made a deal. Knowing him, he paid off the Warden handsomely in exchange for Jamie's release and he was using the shoes and designer names as bait to get her in the car. Jamie wasn't going to bite, not when she knew what was waiting for her when she got home. There was no one there to stop Richard, not if he paid the Warden to keep her release a secret.

"They're real pretty, Daddy. But I don't wanna go home, you see. I'm learnin' my lesson!" Jamie beamed with a big smile, trying to be as convincing as she could.

"I made a deal with your Warden, she said she'll let you come home and not alert the authorities. They'll keep sending reports to your parole officer as if you never even left. In exchange for a tiny check, but no deal is too big for my princess. Don't you like them? They were the last ones in stock, Pumpkin."

Jamie gaped like a fish out of water as panic started to bubble in the pit of her stomach. Richard's smile faltered as she took a hesitant step backwards when he pushed the gorgeous $700 shoes closer to her. They were awfully pretty, just the pair she wanted. From afar Squid could see all the was happening and left his mother with his friends

"Stay here, Mama. I'll be right back," He whispered to her and kissed her cheek and began making his way towards Jamie.

"D-Daddy, I haven't finished my sentence yet. I can't just go home that wouldn't be right…" The vein in the side of Richard's next began to throb and he pursed his lips and narrowed his cold blue eyes at his daughter. Jamie was afraid then as he held the shoes up to her again. His teeth clenched together and he spoke through a fake grin.

"But Sweetie, don't you like the shoes? Come home, Dumpling…_Daddy _misses you."

The beating of Jamie's heart was out of control when he used that tone of voice to emphasize "Daddy". That word…that word that he'd used when he'd…Jamie began to stutter and step backwards when Richard suddenly tossed the shoes into the car and snatched his daughter by the arm making her squeal. Squid's feet picked up into a run when Richard dragged her out of sight, between parents and cars and behind the Mess Hall building. Squid dug his hands into his hair as he desperately searched through the crowd to try and find her.

"Daddy! Wait!" Jamie cried when Richard let her go when they were obscured from the view of the masses. He then swung back and backhanded Jamie in the face, hard enough to knock her off her feet and into the Mess Hall wall. Richard didn't give her the time to recover and rushed her, clamping his hand over her mouth and pressing her against the wall.

"Listen. I just forked out twenty grand for your release and another seven hundred for the fucking shoes. You are getting in that car and I am taking you home. You will not disobey me, Jamie," Richard hissed in her ear before grazing the lobe with his tongue. Jamie whimpered under his hand and the tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Where was Squid?

"You know what happens to the bad little girls who don't listen to their daddies. Or maybe you like disobeying, huh? You missed _Daddy_ teaching you a lesson. Because you're such a sloppy whore, you loved learning your lesson from _Daddy_," Jamie's stomach twisted and churned as Richard painfully pressed his groin into hers, causing a silent scream to be forced into his palm. "_Daddy_ is so much better than Alan isn't he?"

Jamie didn't respond. Her breath was heavy and loud in a pant against his hand as he pulled back and slapped her again. Jamie wailed when her mouth was released. She was reprimanded for making noise by yet another slap to the opposite side of her face.

"Daddy please! I just don't want to come home! Just let me stay and I promise I'll do whatever you want when my sentence is served!" She cried, her chest heaving under the massive beating of her heart. She quietly began to sob when he captured her by the throat and gave her a hard squeeze to make her gasp. He had her pinned against the wall once more, she couldn't run.

"I said, doesn't _Daddy _do it so much better than Alan? Huh?" Jamie's eyes widened and he laughed at her, like he was mocking her. "Oh don't act so innocent. I knew you two were fucking when no one was home. He took you, Jamie, he took my little girl. But when I get you home I'm going to ruin you so he won't even look at you."

"Daddy…please…I just want to stay…" Jamie pleaded. She hated that he referred to her relations with Alan as merely fucking, like they were a pair of hormone driven animals just looking to get off. It had always been much more than that whenever they did it.

"No! You're my daughter, and will do as I say. You will come home with me-"

"Hey! The hell do you think you're doin' to Sassy?!" Relief flooded Jamie's tight veins at the sound of X-ray's voice. The hold on her throat kept her head still, but she glanced to the side with her eyes. All of her boys, X-ray, Armpit, Magnet, X-ray, even Zero stood in a hoard not more than a leap away. She almost burst into sobs when she saw Squid. He came.

"Guys, don't! I'm okay! Stay back," Richard instantly took his hands off Jamie and faced the D Tent boys with a business smile. The last thing he wanted was witnesses.

"Oh, hello boys. I was just having a chat with Jamie here and-"

"We saw what you were 'talking' about and we didn't like the subject, Mr. Prescott," X-ray spoke first and began to step forward. Each boy flanked his sides but Squid was right in front of them all. "See none of us leave unless in the case of an emergency. It ain't fair to the rest of the guys here."

"Yeah, you can't bribe my mami with a pair of pricey chanclas, ey. Jamie's better than that, homes," Magnet tightened the bandanna around his head as they all came closer.

"You misunderstand, boys. I just wanted my sweet dumpling home with me and her little brother again. We miss her so much."

"Liar," Zig-Zag growled.

"You ain't takin' Jamie home, Rick. She ain't done her time yet and she don't wanna leave. So I suggest ya get in yer pretty little car and go home, visiting hours are just about over," Jamie's heart thundered at the sound of Squid talking as he chested up to Richard. He came eye to eye with the lawyer and stared him down. But, Richard being who he was, he wasn't intimidated so easily by a mere teenager. All of the boys had a menacing aura about them, they were delinquents after all. But Jamie could only ever perceive them as the sweet and misunderstood boys she'd come to love.

"You can't stop me, Alan. Who's to say that these conditions are fit for a young girl of Jamie's social background? I'm sure a nice house arrest would do just fine if the price is right. You think any judge other than the one Jamie was stuck with would allow a beautiful girl to be shoved into a camp full of boys? Oh it's just not safe." Squid didn't back down and the boys came closer. Zero ran around and threw his arms around Jamie's waist, protectively it seemed. Richard took a moment to look around and changed his demeanor, his hands coming up in defense.

"I'll send you a letter, Sugar Plum. Ciao, darling." Richard gave his farewell before winking at Jamie and flinching in Squid's face. The boy didn't move and watched as the lawyer disappeared around the Mess Hall to return to his car. Once they were all sure he was gone, the boys collectively exhaled and group hugged their girl tent mate all at once. Squid stood to the side and kicked at the dirt. Jamie's secret was out…now their secret was out too. He'd hoped that his friends wouldn't find out that he had Jamie had done more than just dated in the past; they didn't need to know because it was none of their business. But they'd heard every word when they were coming to her rescue.

"Yo dawg, that was intense. You alright, Sassy girl?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, Pit. Don't worry."

"Ohh Mija, you got a shiner on your cheek and a cut on your lip," Magnet reached forward after the hug had split and run his thumb across her now split and bleeding lip. Her cheek had a nice cut and bruise on it too. Jamie instinctively jerked her head away, the terror was still all too fresh and the sewn up wound had been ripped wide open. The boys all took a step back for Squid to make his way through and held her chin between her fingers to look at her face.

"Oh Jamie…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Never was good at keepin' promises…" His deep voice muttered. Jamie darted her eyes away in shame. Everyone had seen Richard strike her the last time and she was drowning in embarrassment. She wanted this secret to stay swept under the rug because she didn't want sympathy. Now she was going to be watched all day long to see if she was going to shatter.

The boys all seemed to ignore the obvious elephant in the room for the sake of their friendship with Jamie and Squid. But the new fact that the pair actually had sex in the past hung awkwardly in the air and made the atmosphere heavy with strange apprehension. Sure, they had suspected it but usually forgot all about it. At least now, all the angst between them made more sense. Knowing that'd she'd been taken by her father made it that much worse. Squid had never felt such an intense burn of anger before in his life, not even when his father ditch him and his mom.

"Y-you guys need to go back to your families, they're still waiting," Jamie spoke softly. She didn't look at any of them, telling them she didn't want to talk about anything they'd just seen. Out of respect for her space, all but Squid and Zero left. Jamie wondered why she hadn't seen him with anybody, didn't he have any family? Poor kid.

"Alan, your mom-"

"Shut up, hey Zero can ya give us a minute?" The small boy looked at Jamie, silently asking her to tell him to stay. She reached forward and brushed her knuckled against his round cheek and nodded her head back towards camp.

"Please, Zero…It's okay now, I'm fine. Promise," Slowly, hesitantly, Zero retreated with his eyes on Jamie until he disappeared around the corner. He returned to his tent and threw himself onto his cot. He buried his head under his pillow and began to quietly cry. Zero hated to see anything happen to Jamie, she was the only one in the tent who showed him any respect, the only one who didn't call him stupid. She'd become the sister he wished he always had.

* * *

The boys all returned to their mothers with smiles on their faces and finished their visit. But Jamie and Squid just stared at each other in a deafening silence. She didn't know what to say, she'd kept the part about Richard having his way with her a dark secret. Squid was furious that she hadn't told him, he thought she had finally trusted him again and he had to find out the hard way that his girl was being taken advantage of by the man who is supposed to love and nurture her. It seemed that sort of abuse was going on long before Jenine committed suicide and long before Michael died. No, this particular detail looked to have started long ago.

"Jamie. How many times?" Squid was short, he was firm. He wasn't letting Jamie out of his sight until she talked to him.

"Alan not here, not now. Your mother. She came all this way to see you…"

"Jamie, don't do this. How many times, Baby, how many times did he…did he touch you? When did this start?...How did he know?" Jamie furrowed her brow and fought the damn tears as she began to walk away. She couldn't handle it when he sweet talked her like that, he knew it broke her down without any effort. Squid sighed and groaned and without thinking snatched her by the wrist. The wild-eyed look of fear on her face when she whipped around forced him to let her go.

"Don't! Not now, Alan! Please! Just spend time with your mother, she needs you more than I do," Jamie kept backing away until she was out of his reach. He had no choice but to go along with what she said for now. He'd stay with his mother until the last minute.

"Alright. But the second dinner is over, we're talking. Jamie," She hastily nodded and began to walk away but stopped at the sound of her name. "Please. Don't leave me in the dark again."

Jamie stepped forward and pressed a kiss against his mouth before quickly retreating. "I won't…"

Secrets. That girl was nothing but secrets. Squid watched her go before finding his mother again to spend as much time with her as he possibly could before the time came to say goodbye again. He wished with all of his might that his mother would take it easy on the booze after he begged her to slow down as she pulled away in her car. Watching one of the only two women in his life leave again was impossibly painful. Now, the other was in a functional state of shock as another trove of hidden truths came to the surface.

Why was Jamie shutting him out? Didn't she trust him?

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**A/N: I went there! NO SHAME! ._. Getting pretty intense yeah? Yeaaah! Stay tuned, Duckies. I'll try to update soon. It seems like I'm rushing through this story but I'm going at the pace I like, so hopefully ya'll are liking it.**


	6. Reminisce

**A/N: Righty-o Duckies. This chapter is a little more on the angsty side. I mean, you take two teens with an intimate past and stick them in a detention center where reprimandments and bad things are always on the mind, imagine how tense that energy is huh?! Yeah? Yeah?! WHo's with me?...no one? Okay ._. Well anyway, if you don't like this story you don't have to read it, I'm just doing this recreationally as it comes to me. You're reading brain vomit ;D hahaha okay, Read and Review, please. NICELY!**

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_Secrets. That girl was nothing but secrets. Squid watched her go before finding his mother again to spend as much time with her as he possibly could before the time came to say goodbye again. He wished with all of his might that his mother would take it easy on the booze after he begged her to slow down as she pulled away in her car. Watching one of the only two women in his life leave again was impossibly painful. Now, the other was in a functional state of shock as another trove of hidden truths came to the surface. _

_Why was Jamie shutting him out? Didn't she trust him?_

* * *

Holding on until the end of the Visitor's Day, for lack of a better word, sucked in Jamie's opinion; spending the remainder of the visit with Squid and his mother just reminded her of what she didn't have. True, his mother was a rotten drunk when the times hit her hard but she wasn't always like that. She loved her son and was all she had left in the world after his father split years before. Jamie envied Squid now more than ever because he still had someone back home who missed him and loved him. Usually she was the subject of everyone's envy in school and around town. A big house and her own car, Daddy was a lawyer, and Mama had been a very sought after architect. Jamie would give anything to have the days back when Jenine was alive, Michael too. It was all just a far off dream now.

"Sassy, we gonna write Barfbag a letter, you wanna help?" X-ray jarred Jamie out of her thoughts as she watched Squid say goodbye to his mother through the driver's window of her car. All of the boys had given their love and affections to their visitors and were now heading back to the Mess Hall for dinner one by one.

"You mean you want _me_ to write the letter while you boys talk?" Jamie mused and X-ray chuckled.

"Yeah. Pretty much, you down?" Both nodded towards Squid as he came back in their direction as they waited by the Mess Hall. He looked miserable after saying goodbye. Another year before he was able to see her again.

"Sure. We'll write it tomorrow after we dig. Meet me in the tent after you guys shower, get the word out, 'kay?" A green-eyed wink and a nudge in the arm with her elbow, Jamie closed the deal with X-ray and disappeared into the Mess Hall after Squid.

It was fairly obvious he didn't want to eat but figured he had to if he was going to have any strength for digging in the morning. So he slid his tray along the food bar, being served sloppy mashed potatoes, over-cooked green beans, watery baked beans, and some bread. He finished off the tray with a glass of apple juice before he lazily trudged over to his designated spot at D Tent's table. Jamie rubbed her sore cheek over the cut her father had given her during one of his slaps and wondered if she should join in him. But he sensed her eyes on his back and turned around in his seat to wave her over.

Jamie grabbed a dinner roll and some juice and sat down beside Squid, like she always did, but was silent this time. That wasn't the case for the rest of the boys who yammered on and on about their homes, memories, and stories of childhood. All of them ignored the obvious tension between the two and continued to ignore the awkward aura that seemed to surround them. Mr. Prescott's little reveal had done nothing but expose something very private, like tearing off a scab and drowning the cut in salt.

Squid leaned over after swallowing a lump of green beans and whispered in her ear.

"I still wanna talk to ya. After dinner and behind the tent."

Jamie took a small bite out of her roll that she suspected was stale. She chewed carefully before taking a sip of juice and glancing sideways in his direction. He was staring hard and standing his ground…metaphorically.

"Alright, behind the tent. So! Did everyone have fun today? Armpit you never told me your mother was so funny," Jamie said with a smile. Squid knew this act of hers, pretending that everything was okay. Pretending that her entire tent hadn't stumbled upon her getting slapped around by her father. It was just easier that way. Pretending. So he'd go along with her just to save himself the fight with her later.

At the end of the table to Jamie's right, Zero ate in his mind-numbing silence. He only seemed to want to talk to her when no one was around or when he was sure that no one could hear. Jamie didn't understand Zero's secrecy entirely, but in a way she got the idea. Keeping your business to yourself just made your stay at Camp Green Lake quick and painless. The situation Jamie was in now was the perfect example. The boys could talk about anything and everything that they wanted but that didn't stop them from casting worried glances in Jamie's direction or staring at the bruise on her cheek. Pity and sympathy. It was exactly what Jamie didn't want, what she just didn't need.

Under the table, Zero nudged Jamie's thigh with his knuckles, breaking her attention from the rest of the boys. She scooted closer to her quiet friend and gave him her undivided attention by resting her cheek into her palm with her elbow on the table. He still said nothing but just gazed at her with large, brown eyes that reminded her of those of a loyal dog; a companion. Zero didn't need words to tell her he had her back. Just a look. Jamie didn't know what Zero did to get sent to Camp but he was such a good kid that he melted her heart. So she reached forward and rustled the wild, springy curls in his hair and grinned.

"I know. Thanks, Zero," she said in a voice just low enough for him to hear. Again he said nothing and returned to eating his dinner in comfortable silence. Knowing Jamie was alright now let him eat without the previous apprehension; he had no one else that he felt comfortable enough to rely on. In return, he would keep an eye on her

"Guys, come to the tent after your showers tomorrow. We gonna write Barfbag a letter and say wassup."

"You mean _I'm_ writing the letter, X. I got the prettiest handwriting outta all ya'll," Jamie said with a giggle. Squid shifted his shoulders as he ate, he wasn't sure if he'd participate in the writing of the letter. But then again, he and Barfbag had still been pretty good friends and he didn't want the boy going on thinking that Squid hated him. Hopefully, when he made it to the outside, Squid would find him someday and they'd put it all behind them to be friends again. Hell, all the boys hoped they'd all meet up after they were released from camp. They're outside friends downright sucked compared to the tent mates they made in their time at Camp Green Lake.

"How do you think he's doin'? You think the food is better in the hospital?" Armpit said, his fork full of discolored mashed potatoes. Jamie shuddered when she got a look at them, she couldn't imagine how any of them were able to even put the food on their trays let alone eat it.

"When Mama had Adam, she got delicious meals during her stay. You remember, Squid? That day she had the ham?" Squid put his fork down and made a face that read off as melancholy.

"Oh yeah, and those roasted potatoes that she didn't want," He hummed and rubbed his belly for emphasis. The boys and Jamie laughed. "Sure was a long time ago."

"Not really. He's six now. So we were what…ten? Makes it six years ago." Pausing for thought, he nodded to agree. Time just seemed to fly once they'd turned fourteen. He almost forgot how old Jamie's little brother was. Zig-Zag slurped down his own cup of apple juice and slammed the cup down with a loud "Aaahhh." Jamie only rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"How'd ya'll meet anyway?" Zig asked, wagging his finger between Squid and Jamie. Nodding, the boys all turned their attention to the pair. "Never explained that part."

"Oh, Daddy has his own law firm. Squid's mama was a secretary to Daddy's partner at the time. They both brought us to work one day when we were really little and we met in the elevator. They compared schedules, they came over for Christmas, we had a playdate and the rest is history," Jamie finished by tossing the last piece of her bread roll into her mouth and let the boys absorb her tale. Squid chuckled as he remembered that day a good twelve years ago.

Back when Mr. Prescott was a good man. When Michael and Jenine were alive. Before Squid's father left and before his mother starting drinking. The good ol' days.

* * *

"_Daddy, where are we going?"_

"_To my work, Jamie. I have a couple files to pick up and then we'll go see Santa afterwards, okay?" Richard promised as he knelt down beside his three year old Jamie. She wore her favorite red Christmas dress trimmed in white fluff, white stockings, and black buckled shoes on her little feet. Her mother had even curled her hair into loose raven curls and pulled some back into a pretty red bow. She was anxious to get to the mall to have her picture taken with Santa and to tell the big man what she wanted for Christmas that year, but Richard had to stop by the firm to pick up paperwork that he had to complete over the holidays._

"_Okay…" She muttered, her chubby face looked down at the ground as her father kissed her head and picked her up to take inside. All of the lawyers and secretaries were buzzing about to get as much work done before their vacation as they possibly could. He pressed the UP button on the elevator wall and waited for the lift before being joined by his partner's secretary and her son. _

"_Good morning, Mr. Prescott! Excited for the holidays? Oh who have we here?" Beamed the woman. Jamie sheepishly smiled and tucked her face into Richard's neck under his chin as she waved, shyly. The woman was pretty with glossy red lips, big brown eyes, a pretty round face, and bouncy brown hair. She was dressed smartly in a dress suit but had a Santa pin stuck into her collar. At her side, Jamie noticed, a little boy about her age who was looking up at her in awe._

"_Good morning, Anna. Yes, we are very excited, gonna go see Santa after I pick up a few things. This is Jamie, say hello to Anna won't you, Dumpling?" Richard set his daughter down onto her little feet as she blushed and grinned, barely squeaking out a "Hi." Anna giggled, and pushed her son into view._

"_This is Alan. He came in since he has a doctor's appointment later, I hope you don't mind, Mr. Prescott," She explained. Richard waved his hand dismissively and grinned as the elevator doors opened with a ping._

"_Don't worry about it. Come on, Jamie," Ushering his child into the elevator, he held the door open as Anna stepped inside holding Alan's hand._

_Both toddlers stood beside their parents but kept their eyes on each other, silently examining the other and deciding whether or not to be friends. Alan liked Jamie's eyes, they were so big and green that he was absolutely mesmerized by them. Jamie had an admiration for his eyes as well, their stares were interrupted when the lifted shuddered to a halt and the doors opened once again. _

"_Alright everyone, out, this is our floor. Let's go Jamie. Nice to see you, Anna, have a good holiday vacation. Say bye-bye, Honey," Both parties exited the lift as both kids gave each other a little wave before being swept away by their parents. Jamie followed Alan with eyes over her father's shoulder as he carried her to his office and let her sit in one of the cushioned chairs. Through the glass, she sat on her knees and watched Alan dangle and kick his legs as he sat beside his mother's desk who was busily filing and typing. He didn't look to be enjoying himself and looked around in his ever growing boredom. In his glance over of the busy office, his gaze landed on Jamie in her father's office staring right back at him._

_This exchange of stares and smiles between children lasted a good fifteen minutes before Jamie had enough and plucked herself out of the chair. Mr. Prescott was nose deep in his files and stacks of papers to not notice his daughter had slipped out and was running towards Alan. All of the girls in the office ooh'd and aww'd at the little girl in the pretty red dress running towards the little boy. Imagine his surprise when this girl surprised him by sneaking up behind him._

"_BOO!"_

"_AH!" Alan jumped out of the chair his mother had put him in and whipped around to see Jamie giggling and pointing her finger at him. His mother had a good scare too and nearly tossed all of her papers._

"_Jamie! Oh honey don't do that! Does your daddy know you're out here?" Jamie shook her head. Alan looked between his mother and Jamie for a few moments before reaching out and grabbing her hand._

"_Mommy we're gonna play, okay?" Anna looked surprised, Alan never took to strangers that well. Especially girls. She took a moment to think about it but Jamie's big smile wouldn't let her say no._

"_Alright, but stay where I can see you and don't bother anyone. Alan, we have to leave soon so don't mess your clothes up."_

_The kids nodded quickly and took off down the hall to play. _

"_I like your bow…it's real pretty…" Alan muttered as they rolled a ball that Jamie had kept in her father's office back and forth. Jamie giggled again and touched the bow her mother had put in her hair._

"_Thank you. Mama put it in for me. Uhhhmmmm…." Jamie tried to think of something to like as well so he wouldn't feel left out. But he wasn't wearing anything special, he was going to the doctor's after this. So she grinned and pointed at his chest. "I like you!"_

_Alan laughed and tossed the ball back. "I like you too!"_

_Their parents at that point came to find them and had heard the little exchange between both children. They talked in Richard's office and arranged for Alan's family to come and spend Christmas with the Prescott's for gift giving and dinner. _

_They would never be able to know what lifelong gift they were giving to their children at that point. But after that Christmas, Jamie and Alan were never without each other. Best friends._

* * *

The boys of D Tent had finished dinner and gone to bed after Jamie and Squid decided they'd told enough stories from when they were kids. They were all tired from the long day, but for the boys it had been a good day. Having some interaction with their loved ones from the outside seemed to do exactly as the Warden had hoped and boost their morale to keep digging and get through their sentences at Camp Green Lake. But for Jamie, bed time meant she had to talk with Alan alone. She was dreading that talk in particular because it meant he was going to ask questions about things with Richard.

Once they were sure that everyone was asleep (most notable by their snoring) they snuck out the tent flaps and made their way around behind the tent and sat on the protruding planks. In the dark, Alan couldn't see the bruise and cut on her cheek or the rub burns on her neck from Mr. Prescott's rough hands. He couldn't see them, but he knew they were there and just knowing she was marked unsettled him to the core. Jamie rubbed her knees under her palms and cleared her throat as she waited for the right thing to say, trying to get this conversation started seemed harder than actually having it altogether. She sighed in relief when she heard him inhale to begin speaking.

"Jamie, be honest. How many times?" Alan started bluntly, fidgeting his hands nervously. They stopped when she reached over and held his right in her left and laced their fingers together. He was sweating already and he hadn't gotten past the first question.

"After Mama died is when it started, so it didn't last very long-"

"I said how many times, Jamie." He cut in before she had the chance to dance around the subject. With her thumb grazing over his, Jamie twisted her lip in thought.

"Honestly, I lost count…That's why I'm here, Alan. He cornered me and I had enough. So, I fought back and won. Obviously. Or else I wouldn't be here," Alan laughed dryly and rolled his eyes in disbelief. A man putting his hands on an underage girl and making her hurt was bad enough. But a man putting his hands on his _daughter_ was absolutely despicable.

"Is that why ya freaked out when Barfbag grabbed ya?"

"Yes..." Jamie nodded slowly. When Lewis had grabbed her wrists, it sent her back into the days of Richard yanking her from wherever she was and throwing her into submission to have his way with her. Day after day this went on. Jamie began to explain that she'd often be hit or thrown to the floor when she tried to fight back. Or sometimes, just because he felt she needed it. The molestation and sexual abuse had started right away and only escalated with every passing day. Alan spent the entire time shaking his head in disbelief and disgust as Jamie went on.

As she finally went on and told him about the day she had enough and attacked Richard when he made advances on her, Alan squeezed her hand hard enough that his knuckles turned white and her fingers tingled.

"Ow, Alan, stop it. You're hurting me," Jamie pried her hand from his grip and shook her fingers out to bring the feeling back into them. Alan only shook his head some more and ran his hands through his dark hair, trying to get a grip on everything she was telling him. He wasn't there when she needed him the most, he was busy digging holes here at camp while she was back home being horrifically abused by the man whose whole world used to revolve around her. Jamie was Richard's little girl in every aspect when she was growing up, never would anyone had expected him to take out his wife's death out on her.

"God Jamie I'm so sorry I wasn't there. Had I known that was gonna happen I never woulda-"

"Alan it's okay. No one could have predicted the way he was going to act, especially you. Alan," He had looked away and she redirected his attention with the guide of her hand against his jaw. "Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control. I don't blame you."

"So? Doesn't make me feel like any less of a shit head. But damn…Mom needed the money and I couldn't get it…" He was talking about the robbery he had done on the house in Jamie's neighborhood to support his mother. Jamie sighed like a weight had come off her chest.

"Well, stop it. I took care of the problem."

"Yeah and it got ya arrested. Jamie another thing," Alan readjusted his position and was now facing Jamie in the dark. He could barely make out the features of her face, but the shadowed discretion seemed to add to his attraction to her.

"Hm?" Jamie hummed, holding both of his hands now.

"How'd he find out? About you and me uh…y'know…" Thinking about the times with Alan made Jamie shudder and chew her lip with a smile. After regaining her composure, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Dunno. Guess one of the maids must have seen us or found _something_ after we left," Jamie raised her eyebrows and emphasized the word "something" so she wouldn't have to come out and say the word "condom" just in case one of the boys was faking sleep and listening through the fabric tent wall. Alan got the hint and nodded, a bit of a smile on his face as his embarrassment of possibly being sloppy is what sold them out.

"Right. 'm sorry about that. I know ya wanted to keep that a secret, especially here. Last thing we want is the guys talking about us, ya probably never even liked it, huh?" He chuckled, feeling somewhat defeated. Jamie blinked wide-eyed in her disbelief. Where on Earth did he pick up that she didn't like it?

"Woah there, I never said I didn't like it. I just didn't want anyone else finding out and other girls catching wind of you back home, you're all mine remember?" Alan didn't need a light to know that she winked at him, he felt it in the way she gravitated closer and grazed her fingers over his forehead to push back his hair. "Think I wanted other girls to know?"

"So that's what it was huh? Didn't know Miss Jamie Prescott got jealous," He chuckled, earning him a playful shove.

"Shut-up. And for the record, what he said today wasn't true," Jamie referred to Richard's pry to have her admit that he was better than Alan in bed. Both leaned forward and leaned their foreheads together as she spoke. "That was nothing but a lie. No one can make me feel the way you do. It's a shame we're here, I miss being with you."

"Yeah! GET IT SASSY!" Both of them jumped at the sound of Armpit's voice. Jamie reached back and sent her fist into the fabric of the tent into what she imagined was Armpit's shoulder. ""OW!"

"Go to sleep, THEODORE!"

"Aw dude, she called me Theodore," His voice disappeared as he returned to his cot amongst the sniggers of his tent mates. Jamie rolled her eyes and stood up, fixing her orange shorts after they had ridden up her thighs.

"Idiot," She hadn't been standing for more than three seconds when Alan slung his arm around her waist and brought her right up against him. The swift action got the gasp out of her that he wanted. Once again, Jamie was being the tease she'd always been in the past.

"Think I care that we're here?"

"Alan seriously, we get caught, we get kicked out and sent to different facilities. Be smart and just wait. I don't wanna be seperated from you..." A groan that could only be explained as guttural rumbled in the pit of Alan's chest as he ducked his face against the side of her neck and squeezed her.

"Dammit, Jamie. I don't wanna wait. I gotta get him off ya…and I gotta do it now-" Jamie hushed him with her finger on his lips. "How about a good, long French kiss to hold me over?"

"God you're such a redneck," Jamie muttered and decided not to make him wait and crushed her lips against his the way she used to before he got arrested. Alan responded by digging his fingers into her hips and kissing her back with more intensity than he had in a long while by biting her lower lip and giving it a tug between his teeth to make her open up. When her arms came around his shoulders was when he took the plunge and invaded her mouth with his tongue.

Now when Alan kissed her like this, Jamie knew it was to patch up the wounds from earlier today. His hands travelled up and down her sides before coming to rest again on her waist where he gripped her flesh between his fingers, tugging her closer into him. Jamie was giving him a run for his money by supplying him with the long kiss that he'd asked for, she wasn't one to leave him disappointed. Besides, she couldn't deny herself of the truly addicting flavor he possessed, it hadn't changed whatsoever. But, when his lips pulled away from hers and began to leave a trail of kisses down her jaw and neck in their wake is when Jamie had to stop.

"Alan…" He came back up and closed his mouth on hers again to hush her, trying to get as much out of this as he could. Jamie was persistent and pulled away again. "Alan, stop. I said we gotta wait."

"Shit, Jamie…" Once again, he hid in the crook of her neck, occasionally nibbling at her skin. "Why ya gotta make me wait?"

With some effort, she'd managed to get him to look at her. Even in the darkness she could see that familiar need and angst in his eyes that usually did her in. If they were home, there'd be no arguments. But they weren't home. They were in a detention center.

"Because, Stupid. If we got caught we'd get separated. If Daddy got wind of it, he'd find a way to keep me home. Don't make me go home yet," Jamie hushed against his parted lips. Both of his hands dragged back through her hair that was as black as the night sky above them.

"Then don't tease me by talkin' like that."

"Yo guys, might wanna come back. It's getting' close to Lizard Hour," X-ray called from the tent. Jamie grumbled something explicit and Alan dropped his head against her shoulder. Lizard Hour was what the boys had named the frame of time when the Yellow Spotted Lizards came out for dinner. With that in mind, Jamie had forced herself away from Alan's ever so inviting embrace to head back inside.

"C'mon, Alan. We got holes to dig."

The issue between Jamie and her father was no longer a mystery to Alan, but that didn't make it suck any less. He still had to face the facts that his Jamie had been tormented without him being able to save her. He wasn't going to get much sleep with that knowledge in mind now, but those kisses of hers seemed to ease the ache in his chest if only a little. Their kisses had a medicinal and therapeutic effect on the both of them. But kisses like the ones they just shared did nothing but amplify the anxious need to get out and go home. But they'd get there…

One hole at a time, one day at a time.

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**A/N: Working up to getting Stanley in here e-e I'm going to be swamped because my old band director wants my help with Band Camp for the next two weeks, the price of being a band geek. Oh lordy, I haven't marched since 2008...maybe the activity will stimulate my creativity yeah? What do you think of Jamie now? Not really much a of a Mary Sue now. At least I hope so. **


	7. Letters and Changes

**A/N: Okay, this chapter is a bit shorter than the rest. But, I kinda wanted this to be a short and tight chapter. Short and to the point. So, let's see how this goes. I'm pretty sick as I'm writing so it may not be the best, but I have nothing else to do with my time while I get over whatever is wrong with me. Read and Review.**

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"_C'mon, Alan. We got holes to dig."_

_The issue between Jamie and her father was no longer a mystery to Alan, but that didn't make it suck any less. He still had to face the facts that his Jamie had been tormented without him being able to save her. He wasn't going to get much sleep with that knowledge in mind now, but those kisses of hers seemed to ease the ache in his chest if only a little. Their kisses had a medicinal and therapeutic effect on the both of them. But kisses like the ones they just shared did nothing but amplify the anxious need to get out and go home. But they'd get there…_

_One hole at a time, one day at a time._

* * *

_Dear Barfbag,_

_Dude! We miss having you around every day. I hope you're liking the hospital food and enjoying life outside of camp. Except for being in a hospital and junk. Anyway, don't forget about us, we'll all have to get together soon! Love you man. –Armpit_

Jamie tossed her pen down and tried to stop the shaking in her shoulders from her laughter as Armpit finished speaking. They'd all gathered in the tent to come together and write the letter for Barfbag in the hospital. They'd all forgotten to take their showeres like she had requested and the tent was stuffy and stank to high Heaven. Through bleary, watery eyes, Jamie somehow managed to get through the first part of the letter but the stink was starting to make her head swim.

Armpit rolled the biggest number on the dice so he was awarded first paragraph in the letter. So far, Jamie was in a fit of giggles, his wishes for Barfbag were so innocent and adorable; made her want to give him a big hug. But, for obvious reasons, Jamie kept her distance and pointed the end of her pen in Zig-Zag's direction.

"You're up next, Zig," She said through giggles. Zig-Zag rubbed his hands together as he moved to kneel on the floor in front of Jamie as she sat on her cot. His big eyes were right on her in all seriousness as he began to speak, her pen to the paper ready to take action.

_It's Zig-Zag here. I want to give you a word of advice in those hospital rooms. Keep a sharp eye out, there's cameras everywhere. They're always watching for anything and if they catch you doing something they don't like, they'll dissect your brain for mutations-_

"Zig-Zag! Don't scare the boy, there are not cameras in the hospital for evil doings," Jamie interrupted, smacking Zig-Zag upside the head with her free hand.

"Ow! My cousin said so!" Collectively, the boys and Jamie rolled their eyes. "Fine, just put this down then after the dissection."

_Jamie said I might scare you. But seriously…don't let your guard down. And I'll see you on the outside. Oh. And feel better, soon. – Zig-Zag._

"Very poetic, Zig. Alright who was next?" Jamie looked up from the note and glanced around the small circle. X-ray was next.

_Yo, Barfbag. It sucks that you aren't here anymore. Well, maybe not for you…except you're in the hospital. But at least you have air-conditioning, right? Am I right?! Anyway, take care of yourself on the outside and we'll all hook up someday for a little D Tent reunion. It's going to be legendary! Miss you tons, man. We all do. See you sometime soon. –X-ray_

_"_Next."

_Hey Barfbag! It's your boy, Magnet! I don't suppose you can get me the phone numbers of a couple nurses could you?-_

"Magnet! Really? The kid is getting treated for a venom bite and you want phone numbers. Focus guys," Jamie snorted.

_Hehe, Jamie is just as feisty as ever. She's been yelling at us the whole time we've been writing this letter. She's glaring at me right now! Okay, maybe I should cut this short, I think she's gonna kill me now. Hey, get yourself a puppy, man! They make everything so much better. See you later, bro. –Magnet._

"You guys…jeez. Alright, Squid?" Jamie directed her gaze towards Squid who was sprawled on his side playing with the pair of die by rolling and dropping them. Dark brown eyes glanced up and met the intense emerald stare given to him by Jamie and he sat up and anxiously rubbed his chest. Jamie had to look away, being in a tent of boys they'd all made themselves real comfortable in the heat. Some by wearing thin white shirts, and others chose to run shirtless. Squid chose to be part of the Skins team today.

_What's up, Barfbag? Things haven't been the same since you've been gone. We all miss you and seeing you everyday. I hope that with all that's happened we can still be friends, because I want to stay buds forever. So, I'll see you on the other side when I get out of here, take care of yourself. –Squid_

Jamie scribbled the last of Squid's words in her fine cursive, her lips pursed together in silent surprise. She hadn't expected him to say anything let alone something so civil. Passing the letter around on a clipboard, the boys all signed their names and returned it to Jamie who then folded it up and slipped it into a filled out envelope that was stamped and ready to go. With a fast swipe of her tongue over the glue, she folded the envelope shut and set it in her crate to take to the mail box later. They'd tried to get Zero to participate but they only received silence as their answer.

"What about you, Sassy? Ain't you gonna write to Barfbag?"

"Yeah, I'm writing my own letter, though, Pit. I have a lot more to say than you guys. Anyway, I'll put this in the box later before dinner. Ziggy stop staring at me!" Jamie snapped, Zig-Zag's intense focus was a little unnerving. He gave her that weird crooked smile and darted away to his cot with Magnet and X-ray in tow. Armpit had decided it was time for a nap and spread himself out on his cot. Curling up with her own pillow, Jamie snuggled into the thin cushion to relax after a hard day of digging.

"You alright?" Squid muttered after he sat up. Jamie looked sideways at him and grinned slightly.

"Mhmm. Just tired. Because you know, I actually dig my hole while you guys sit around and yammer all day long," She teased. Playfully, he tossed a dice at her but missed. Giggling, Jamie reached over and slapped his arm and he responded by pinching her thigh. A war had begun as Jamie tackled him to the floor and they started a playful scuffle.

"Yo, did you guys hear? Camp Green Lake is getting a new kid. I over heard Mom talking about it with Mr. Sir this morning before we all went out for the day," X-ray chimed in with his daily update. Jamie and Squid looked up from their brawl on the ground at the news, Squid yanking on Jamie's hair and her fingers twisting his nose. All of the boys, even Zero, glanced at X-ray in curiosity.

"Think he'll be part of out tent?" Zig-Zag was the first to break the silence.

"No way, they wouldn't fill Lewis' spot that fast, would they? I mean…wow. I guess we'll know when he gets here. When, X?" Jamie rose to her feet and yanked Squid up to stand beside her. Out of some strange habit, Squid's arm wrapped itself around her waist.

"Tomorrow I think. Guess we'll see who is gonna be the new prisoner, huh?"

Inside, Jamie's gut lurched at the thought of someone else coming into their tent and filling Barfbag's spot. Granted, she wasn't about to wish for him to come back; time at Camp Green Lake was something she didn't wish on anyone. But still, she'd rather have to look at the empty cot where he slept than to see someone else there. She couldn't make sense of herself or why she felt the way she did about the sudden change. It'd been just over three months, almost four, since she first arrived at Camp and right away the first friend that she had really made was Barfbag. Maybe she was just over thinking…maybe.

* * *

As it was almost dinner time, the boys filed out of the tent to the Wreck Room to loosen up a bit more before it was time to eat. Jamie stayed behind in the tent to think about what she was going to write to Lewis and was tossing idea after idea around in her head. Was it a good idea to even write him at all? Jamie imagined what he might think if he received the letter from the boys and saw nothing from her at all, perhaps thinking she didn't give a damn at all. That possibility couldn't be further from the truth because when it came down to it Jamie was the one who cared the most. Watching her best friend being airlifted to the hospital had easily been the worst day of her time at Camp.

Tapping her pen against a blank sheet of paper, Jamie twisted her lips in thought as she tried to see the words on the page. The right words. Curling her toes into the sheet of her cot and nibbling her lip, it started to come to her mind and transfer onto the paper. Setting the ballpoint to the sheet and taking a deep breath, Jamie started to write.

_Lewis,_

_I decided writing my own letter to you would be better. Like the rest of the guys, I miss you. But, Lewis…I miss you. I mean I really miss you. And you know, I keep thinking about what happened that night in front of the Wreck Room and keep coming to the conclusion that you deserve an apology from me. For being as selfish as I was to want to be your friend without realizing what it was doing to you. _

_So for all of it, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry._

_You mean the world to me and I can't imagine living my life now without you in it. So, when I get out and when you're completely recovered, let's start over. Without the bullshit. Because, honestly, I do need you and I do care about you, deeply. Even though I'm sure it's not enough for you, it's how I feel entirely. If you can find it in yourself to forgive me and move on, then we were meant to be friends. If not, then that's okay, too. Knowing you and spending the time I did with you was special for me, and I'll remember those days forever. _

_Stay strong, get better. And I'll see you soon, hopefully. _

_-Jamie._

Slowly, a breath streamed through Jamie's nose as she signed the bottom of her letter and folded it three ways before tucking it into its envelope. After sealing and addressing it, she pressed a kiss to the seal and held it in her hands for a few moments, feeling the gravity of her words. She only hoped that this would help Lewis understand her a little better. Maybe even forgive her, but then again, he might not. After all, he took a bite from a rattlesnake just to get away. Jamie prayed that he'd have enough mercy to want to be part of her life again.

"Hey, you comin' to dinner?" Jamie glanced up from the envelope in her hands towards the tent flaps. A bit of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stood and withdrew the letter from the boys and held the two in one hand. "Mom is askin' for ya. Any idea why?"

Jamie wrinkled her nose. "Not really. I bet it's about yesterday…"

Both of them left the tent towards the Wreck Room where she deposited her letters and closed the box. Staring at the mail box and curling her lips, Jamie wracked her brain for any reason that Pendanski might have for wanting to see her. She prayed with all of her might that her father didn't report yesterday's incident in an attempt to get her into trouble. Or worse, try something else to get her sent home. A hug from behind pulled her out of her vortex of thoughts to settle against Alan's chest.

"Want me to come with you?" He muttered against the shell of her ear. Jamie sighed quietly and smiled shyly with a shake of her head. If anything was going to happen, she had to deal with it on her own.

"No, go eat. And I'll be right there. Grab a roll for me."

"Ah, Jamie! There you are, just the girl I was looking for. Alan, if you'll excuse us, I need to speak with Jamie for a moment," A twitch in Jamie's cheek told her that Pendanski was standing right beside them. With an agitated exhale, she plucked herself from Alan's embrace and followed her counselor outside to Mr. Sir's office without saying anything. Alan watched her retreat and went off to the Mess Hall, there wasn't anything he was able to do at this point. Especially since he didn't even know what the deal was with Pendanski.

"Am I in trouble or something?" Jamie said after she'd plopped down in the creaky wooden chair. Both Pendanski and Mr. Sir stood behind the desk with her file open in front of them. Sitting against the backrest with a sarcastic look on her face earned her a scowl from Mr. Sir.

"Won't be takin' none of yer sass, girl. What this is here is a change in pace. Now yer father has offered up a good lump of money for you to not dig holes no more and instead work on camp grounds doing chores," Mr. Sir picked up a handful of sunflower seeds from a bowl on his desk and popped them into his mouth and started making that irritating sucking noise that drove Jamie up the wall.

"So…my father is paying you to make me the camp's maid? It's a nice offer, but I'm gonna have to pass. It isn't fair to the guys," Jamie stated, arms folded across her chest. She wasn't about to accept special treatment by Richard, she refused anything having to do with him.

"Well, I'm sorry Jamie but I'm afraid he's been more than generous to make this happen. So, you have no choice," Pendanski countered. That stupid goofy grin made its way across his face that made Jamie almost sneer.

"And if I still say no and dig my hole anyways?"

"Then yer sorry b'hind gets transferred outta here, Sassy. You don't got another choice. Chores or transfer. You choose." Mr. Sir wasn't making this argument easy. It wasn't that Jamie enjoyed digging holes under the scorch of the unforgiving sun, but she did enjoy cracking jokes and spending time with the boys to make the time go by quicker. If she was kept on camp grounds doing chores, she'd never get to see the guys. She especially didn't like that she'd get to spend even less time with Alan.

Weighing her "options" Jamie scowled and glared hard at Mr. Sir in particular. He was just easier to hate. This wasn't fair, Richard was doing everything in his power to make her as miserable as possible to lure her out of the camp and back into his possession. She wasn't going to take the bait and decided to suck it up and do the damn chores. The guys weren't going to like this, not at all. None more than X-ray who always seemed to think he was royalty.

"Fine…I'll do the stupid chores. Can I go now?" Jamie clamped her hands onto the armrests and made the motions to stand but Mr. Sir held up his hand to stop her while she was ahead. Pendanski stepped over to her side and placed his hand against her shoulder, the touch alone sent an uncomfortable shiver all over her body.

"He also said to make sure you stay away from Alan. He thinks he's a bad influence on you, Jamie. So, after tomorrow, you'll be moved to C Tent."

"What?!" Jamie jumped out of her chair and braced the desk, a panic deeply rooted in her stomach. If she moved tents, who knows what trouble she'd get into. At least with Alan and her boys around her, Jamie would watch her mouth and keep her path straight. Richard wanted to put a wedge between Jamie and Alan and this was the perfect way to do it. It seemed that once Jenine was gone, his entire personality shifted and became something dark and controlling. "That's not fair!"

"Life ain't fair, Sassy. The sooner you learn that, the better of you'll be. Now get goin', after you dig yer hole tomorrow, get yer stuff outta D Tent and move it to C Tent. Is that understood?" A squinty eyed glare met Jamie's cold, angry stare. She was absolutely trembling with anger that was bubbling over the rim. "Well?"

"Yes, Mr. Sir…" Jamie answered through clenched teeth. Shoving herself away from the desk with enough force to make it scoot she stormed away in a heated blur. Once outside, she kicked up a cloud of dirt with a frustrated cry, it seemed like once she had found something to keep her going it had to be yanked from under her feet like a carpet. One would interpret her actions as a child throwing a tantrum after not getting their way but that's exactly how she felt. She'd given in to the roughness of Camp Green Lake and let go of that prissy, up tight nature that she'd been so used to and had become comfortable with her surroundings. And now? Richard was still finding ways to keep her under his thumb.

"What's the matter, Sass?" Armpit was the first to speak after Jamie had come into the Mess Hall and slumped down into her spot beside Alan, her face in her hands. They were all oblivious to the news and the change they were about to receive and she didn't know how else to tell them. So, she'd be blunt.

"They're moving me to C Tent."

A loud collective clatter of forks sounded out as the boys all dropped their utensils, even Zero at the news. Alan stared at Jamie in nothing but shock with his jaw slacked open, trying to find the right words to say.

"What?! They can't do that!"

"Yes they can, X-ray. My father made damn sure of that. I wonder how much damn money he paid to make this arrangement. Not only am I being moved, but they're taking me off the lake from digging holes. I get stuck doing chores all day around here…" Jamie felt so small. She wanted to curl up and cry. Why was this happening to her? She didn't ask for all the shit that Richard pulled her through and was left to wonder what she had done to deserve any of it. Alan didn't know what to say to make her feel any better and could only rub her back with the palm of his hand.

"Tonight is my last night in D Tent. After I dig my last hole tomorrow, I have to move to an empty cot in C Tent and start staying in camp. My father has threatened to pull me out of here if I don't go along with it, they say I'll get sent to another detention center but I know that he'll find a way to put me under house arrest," The boys were able to make out what she was saying despite the muffling of her palms against her palms. There was a new silence that hung over the D Tent table that had never been there before and the boys couldn't shake it. At the end of the table, Zero grit his teeth together and shoved himself away from the table in a haste to get away.

Jamie didn't notice. She felt numb at this point.

Numb. And Furious.

* * *

**A/N: Betcha none of you expected that twist huh?! Bahahah, well, hopefully you didn't. ._. My brain is fried right now because now my boyfriend wants me to write a Star Fox fanfiction and is throwing a million ideas at me every day. I hope that I don't drown under all the stuff he wants and lose my way with this story e-e. Yeesh...such high demands...**


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